SRC-MKV, S.B. 108 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 108
77R9717 CAS-DBy: Lucio
Education
3/16/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

C.S.S.B. 108 is an attempt to strike a balance between ensuring local
control of schools and ensuring some kind of stability in the school year
for parents, members of the public, and the community at large. In
addition, by giving districts until 2002-2003 for the bill's
implementation, schools are assured ample time to plan their local
calendar. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 25C, Education Code, by adding Section 25.0811,
as follows: 

Sec. 25.0811.  FIRST DAY OF INSTRUCTION.  (a) Prohibits a school district
from beginning instruction for students for a school year before the week
in which August 21 falls. 

(b) Provides that, for the purposes of this section, Sunday is considered
the first day of the week. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 25.084(a), Education Code, to authorize a school
district to modify the date of the first day of instruction of the school
year under Section 25.0811 for a school that was operating year-round for
the 2000-2001 school year. 

SECTION 3.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2002-2003
school year. 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1. Differs from the original by adding Section 25.0811, Education
Code, prohibiting a school district from beginning instruction for students
for a school year before the week in which August 21 falls, whereas the
original added Section 25.0811, Education Code,  which related to first and
final days of instruction and a public hearing to be held in reference to
those dates if requested by a student, parent, teacher, or resident of the
district. 

SECTION 2.  Differs from the original by adding a reference to Section
25.0811 in regards to the date of the first day of instruction of the
school for a school that was operating year-round for the 20002001 school
year, whereas the original referred to the final day of instruction for
students prescribed by Section 25.0811. 

SECTION 3. Differs from the original by deleting original SECTION 3
regarding the commissioner of  education adjusting the average daily
attendance of a school district in which at least five percent of the
students are migratory children. 

SECTION 4.  Differs from the original by deleting original SECTION 4
relating to the first day of instruction of the first term of summer
session. 

Renumbers SECTIONS 5 and 6 in the original as SECTIONS 3 and 4 in the
substitute.