By: Ratliff, Bivins S.B. No. 297
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the technology allotment under the foundation school
1-2 program.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 31.021, Education Code,
1-5 is amended to read as follows:
1-6 (b) The State Board of Education shall annually set aside
1-7 out of the available school fund of the state an amount sufficient
1-8 for the board, school districts, and open-enrollment charter
1-9 schools to purchase and distribute the necessary textbooks for the
1-10 use of the students of this state for the following school year.
1-11 The board shall determine the amount of the available school fund
1-12 to set aside for the state textbook fund based on:
1-13 (1) a report by the commissioner issued on July 1 or,
1-14 if that date is a Saturday or Sunday, on the following Monday,
1-15 stating the amount of unobligated money in the fund;
1-16 (2) a requirement to provide an allotment to be
1-17 distributed to each district equal to $30 per student in average
1-18 daily attendance, or a greater amount for any year provided by
1-19 appropriation [as determined under Subsection (c)], to be used only
1-20 to:
1-21 (A) provide for the purchase by school districts
1-22 of electronic textbooks or technological equipment that contributes
1-23 to student learning; and
2-1 (B) pay for training educational personnel
2-2 directly involved in student learning in the appropriate use of
2-3 electronic textbooks and for providing for access to technological
2-4 equipment for instructional use;
2-5 (3) the commissioner's estimate, based on textbooks
2-6 selected under Section 31.101 and on attendance reports submitted
2-7 under Section 31.103 by school districts and open-enrollment
2-8 charter schools, of the amount of funds, in addition to funds
2-9 reported under Subdivision (1), that will be necessary for purchase
2-10 and distribution of textbooks for the following school year; and
2-11 (4) any amount the board determines should be set
2-12 aside for emergency purposes caused by unexpected increases in
2-13 attendance.
2-14 SECTION 2. Subsection (c), Section 31.021, Education Code,
2-15 is repealed.
2-16 SECTION 3. (a) If this Act receives the votes required by
2-17 Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution, for an effective date
2-18 before the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session,
2-19 this Act takes effect immediately and applies beginning with the
2-20 1996-1997 school year.
2-21 (b) If this Act does not receive the votes required by
2-22 Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution, for an effective date
2-23 before the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session,
2-24 this Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and applies beginning with
2-25 the 1997-1998 school year.
3-1 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
3-7 terms, and it is so enacted.