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Senate Bill 496 |
Senate Author: Watson |
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Effective: Vetoed |
House Sponsor: Howard |
Senate Bill 496 amends the Education Code to require the commissioner of education, in calculating the average daily attendance for students served by an optional flexible school day program, to ensure that funding for attendance in a course under such a program is based on the same instructional hour requirements of the regular program rather than a full-time equivalent student basis that requires six hours of student contact time to qualify for a full day of attendance. The bill removes the requirement that a school district apply to the commissioner in order to provide a flexible school day program and authorizes a district to provide such a program for a campus or campuses that would benefit from the program. The bill also authorizes the use of compensatory education allotment funds for the provision of child-care services or assistance with child-care expenses to students at risk of dropping out of school due to being pregnant or a parent or for the payment of costs associated with certain services provided through a life skills program for student parents.
Reason Given for Veto: "Currently, a school district can apply to the Texas Education Agency and request permission to offer a flexible school day program for the district's at-risk students. As filed, Senate Bill 496 addressed the financing of these programs. I am supportive of the original intent of the legislation; therefore, I have signed the bill's companion legislation, House Bill 2660.
"Unfortunately, an objectionable piece of legislation that did not ultimately pass on its own merit was added to Senate Bill 496 and significantly changed the bill's focus. Senate Bill 496 was amended to allow a school district to establish a flexible school day for entire campuses without approval from the Texas Education Agency. Allowing districts to drastically change the school calendar without TEA approval could cause unanticipated and untenable problems."