By Hilbert                                       H.B. No. 271

      75R2227 JSA-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the costs of and reducing the need for remedial

 1-3     education of high school graduates.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 45, Education Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Section 45.112 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 45.112.  SCHOOL DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITY FOR REMEDIAL

 1-8     EDUCATION COSTS.  (a)  The commissioner of education may assign to

 1-9     a school district that consistently graduates students who require

1-10     postsecondary remedial education all or a part of the costs of

1-11     remedial education provided by an institution of higher education.

1-12     The commissioner shall assign the costs as provided by the rules

1-13     adopted under this section and Section 51.3062.

1-14           (b)  The State Board of Education, in cooperation with the

1-15     Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, shall adopt rules to

1-16     facilitate charging school districts for remedial education costs

1-17     under this section.  The rules shall be designed to ensure

1-18     fairness, consistency, and fundamental due process.

1-19           (c)  In this section, "institution of higher education" has

1-20     the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.

1-21           SECTION 2.  Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

1-22     amended by adding Sections 51.3062 and 51.3063 to read as follows:

1-23           Sec. 51.3062.  RULES APPLYING TO REMEDIAL EDUCATION COSTS.

1-24     The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in cooperation with

 2-1     the State Board of Education, shall adopt rules to facilitate

 2-2     charging school districts for remedial education costs under

 2-3     Section 45.112.  The rules shall be designed to ensure fairness,

 2-4     consistency, and fundamental due process.

 2-5           Sec. 51.3063.  ELIMINATION OF REMEDIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

 2-6     (a)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall develop a

 2-7     plan for the gradual elimination of remedial educational programs

 2-8     at institutions of higher education.  Not later than February 1,

 2-9     1999, the coordinating board shall make a report of its results to

2-10     the 76th Legislature.

2-11           (b)  This section expires June 1, 1999.

2-12           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-13           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.