BILL ANALYSIS C.S.S.B. 194 By: Barrientos Education 4-20-95 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND The forerunner of Communities In Schools of Texas is the national program, Cities In Schools (CIS). The purpose of CIS is to offer an alternative to young people, especially among the economically disadvantaged, who have dropped out of school before graduation and were headed for a lifetime of under-employment or unemployment. The Texas model emphasizes the in-school aspects of the service model developed by the founders of CIS. Today, industry, education, and governmental leaders in Texas as well as the nation, recognize the need to address the problems facing at-risk youth. CIS has over 25 years of experience nationally and 16 years in Texas dealing with the many problems facing youth in our communities. With the help of government, business and social service agencies, Communities In Schools is helping community leaders address these problems. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 194 provides for the operation and expansion of the Communities in Schools program. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 216.021, Labor Code, as follows: Sec. 216.021. DESIGNATION OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS. (a) Requires the state coordinator, in cooperation with program directors in the counties or cities (areas) in which a Communities in Schools program (program) is located to designate for participation in the program in the first year of the 1996-97 state fiscal biennium the campuses that were participating in the program as of August 31, 1995, for continuation in the program, and additional campuses if the coordinator determines that funding is available for participation in the program by additional campuses. Provides that this subsection expires August 31, 1996. Deletes the requirement of the state coordinator to designate no more than 32 elementary schools and 76 secondary schools to participate in the program. (b) Requires the state coordinator, to determine participation in the second year of the 1996-97 state fiscal biennium and subsequently, to implement a formula for the funding of Communities in Schools campuses that reduces, over a five-year period beginning September 1, 1996, the funds annually contributed by the state to an amount not less than 50 percent of the amount contributed by the state for funding of the program in the first year of the 1996-97 state fiscal biennium. Requires the formula to consider the financial resources of individual communities and school districts. Authorizes savings accomplished through the implementation of the formula to be used to extend participation in the program to additional campuses in areas that are participating in the program and to campuses in areas that have not previously participated in the program. Deletes language concerning additional schools participation in the program. (c) Requires each local program to develop a five-year funding plan for campuses located in the county or city that participate in the program under which levels of service to those campuses are maintained as the proportion of state funding is reduced. Deletes existing Subsection (c). (d) Authorizes a program to accept federal funds, state funds, private contributions, grants, and public and school district funds to support a campus participating in the program. SECTION 2. Amends Section 16.152, Education Code, by adding Subsection (p), as follows: (p) Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner), from the total amount of funds appropriated for allotments under this section, in each year of the 1996-97 state fiscal biennium, to withhold $15.6 million or a greater amount as determined in the General Appropriations Act and distribute that amount for the program under Chapter 216, Labor Code. Requires the commissioner, after deducting the amount withheld under this subsection from the total amount appropriated for the allotment under Subsection (a) of this section, to reduce each district's tier one allotments in the same manner described for a reduction in allotments under Section 16.254 of this code. Provides that this subsection expires August 31, 1997. SECTION 3. (a) Provides that in addition to the changes in law made by this Act to the Communities in School program, this Act conforms Section 216.021, Labor Code, to certain changes made by Section 1, Chapter 183, Acts of the 73rd Legislature, Regular Session, 1993. (b) Provides that to the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails over another Act of the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes. SECTION 4. Provides that notwithstanding Section 311.025, Government Code, this Act prevails over any revision, recodification, or reenactment of Titles 1 and 2, Education Code, by the 74th Legislature, Regular Session, 1995, including S.B. 1. SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 6. Emergency clause.