By:  West                                             S.B. No. 1360

         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.

         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the financing of alternative education programs.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Education Code, is

 1-4     amended by adding Section 42.157 to read as follows:

 1-5           Sec. 42.157  ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM ALLOTMENTS.

 1-6           (a)  For each full-time equivalent student in average daily

 1-7     attendance in an alternative education program under Subchapter A,

 1-8     Chapter 37, a district is entitled to an annual allotment equal to

 1-9     the adjusted basic allotment multiplied by a weight as follows:

1-10           District Alternative Education Program              1.5

1-11           Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program      2.0

1-12           (b)  Funds allocated under this section, other than an

1-13     indirect cost allotment established under State Board of Education

1-14     rule must be used in providing alternative education programs under

1-15     Subchapter A, Chapter 37, and must be accounted for under existing

1-16     agency reporting and auditing procedures.

1-17           (c)  The commissioner of education, by rule, shall prescribe

1-18     the qualifications for programs necessary to meet funding under

1-19     this section.

1-20           (d)  In this section, "full-time equivalent student" means 30

1-21     hours of contact a week between a student and alternative education

 2-1     program personnel.

 2-2           (e)  For the 1997 and 1998 school years, funds allocated

 2-3     under the provisions of this Act shall not exceed this amount, the

 2-4     Commissioner of Education shall adopt appropriate procedures to

 2-5     reduce entitlements.

 2-6           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.