Overview:
      Amend existing Rider 53 to ensure the allocation to the State
Marine Science Center.
      Required Action:
      Amend Rider 53 on page III-17 of the bill pattern of the
Texas Education Agency in the House Appropriations Bill, Senate
Bill 1, of the 77th Legislature:
      53.  School Improvement and Parental Involvement Initiative.
Out of the funds appropriated above in Strategy B.3.2, Deregulation
and School Restructuring, and in Strategy A.3.3, Improving
Education Performance, the Commissioner may fund programs intended
to increase parent involvement and improve academic achievement.
The Commissioner shall give priority to programs that provide
matching funds.  Programs that may be funded include, but are not
limited to, Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at
Austin, AVANCE family support and education program, the State
Marine Science Center in Palacios, the German Teacher Exchange
Program, the Texas Council on Economic Education, and the One
Community/One Child Program, the Elementary, Middle, and High
School Mentor Program, the Superintendent Leadership Training
Academy at Lamar University, and the Renewable Energy and
Environmental Protection Summer Academy at Texas Southern
University.  The Commissioner shall allocate $125,000 in each year
of the biennium for support of the State Marine Science Center in
Palacios.  Palacios Independent School District shall act as the
fiscal agent for this appropriation, and shall direct an amount not
to exceed $50,000 in each year of the biennium for maintenance and
insurance of the State Marine Science Center.  It is the intent of
the Legislature that none of the funds expended by the Charles A.
Dana Center shall be used to support the commercial development and
marketing of textbooks.
      Out of the funds appropriated above in Strategy B.3.2.,
Deregulation and School Restructuring, the Commissioner shall
allocate not more than $500,000 in each year of the biennium to
assist programs that sponsor academic competitions with teacher
stipends, entrance fees, scholarships, and other expenses
associated with participating in academic competitions.  Eligible
campuses must not have previously participated in academic
competitions, and must seek to participate in competitions that do
not prohibit the participation of students who have repeated one or
more grade levels.  In awarding grants under this provision the
Commissioner shall give emphasis to campuses with high
concentrations of economically disadvantaged students.  TEA shall
provide an annual report on the allocation of the funds.
      The Commissioner shall evaluate programs funded under this
section and programs that do not demonstrate a positive effect on
student performance shall be eliminated.