HBA-LCA H.B. 2307 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2307 By: Keffer Public Education 4/20/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE H.B. 2307 creates a staff development account in the general revenue fund which consists of gifts, grants, donations, appropriations for staff development, and any other money transferred by law to the account. This bill authorizes the commissioner of education to allocate funds from the account to provide staff development resources to a school district that is rated academically unacceptable, has one or more low-performing campuses, or otherwise needs assistance. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 (Section 21.453, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding Section 21.453, as follows: Sec. 21.453. STAFF DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT. (a) Provides that the staff development account (account) is an account in the general revenue fund consisting of gifts, grants, donations, appropriations for staff development, and any other money transferred by law to the account. Provides that funds in the account may be used only as provided by this section. (b) Authorizes the commissioner of education (commissioner) to allocate funds from the account to provide staff development resources to school districts that are rated academically unacceptable, have one or more low-performing campuses, or otherwise need assistance, as determined by the commissioner. (c) Provides that a school district receiving staff development resources must pay half its cost for deposit to the account. (d) Authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules governing the allocation and use of funds under this section. SECTION 2. Amends Section 39.075(c), Education Code, to authorize the commissioner to take action under Sections 39.131(a) (1) through (8) (Sanctions) to improve any area of a school district's performance, including its financial accounting practice, regardless of whether the commissioner lowers its accreditation rating under Subchapter G (Accreditation Sanctions). SECTION 3. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.