HBA-MSH S.B. 975 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 975
By: Shapleigh
Public Education
5/6/2001
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There were almost 4 million children and 268,000 teachers on 7,395 campuses
in Texas public schools during the 1999-2000 academic year. The majority of
campuses use a traditional classroom instruction model.  The spread of the
Internet and other technologies has created the possibility for students to
receive instruction outside the classroom.  Students with special needs
could benefit from these electronic courses. Senate Bill 975 requires the
commissioner of education to implement a program under which a school
district may offer an electronic course to students enrolled in the
district or to students enrolled in another district. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 975 amends the Education Code to require the commissioner of
education (commissioner) to implement a program no later than May 1, 2002
under which a school district may offer an electronic course to students
enrolled in the district or to students enrolled in another district.  The
bill requires the commissioner to select school districts to participate
based on applications submitted by the school districts. The bill
authorizes the commissioner to determine the number of districts in the
program, provided that the commissioner permits to the extent possible the
participation of rural and urban districts with a higher than average
number of at-risk students or drop out rate.  The bill sets forth
provisions relating to the written application that a school district
seeking to participate in the program must submit.  The bill authorizes the
commissioner to waive any requirement, restriction, or prohibition relating
to the computation of daily attendance to the extent necessary to implement
the program.  The bill authorizes the commissioner to cooperate with the
comptroller, the Department of Information Resources, or any other state
agency or commission in adopting technical standards for auditing or
verifying student attendance in an electronic course.  The bill requires
the commissioner to submit a report to the lieutenant governor and the
speaker of the house of representatives no later than December 1, 2002 and
sets forth provisions relating to the content of the report.  The bill
provides that the program expires September 1, 2003. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1 requires the commissioner of education to the
extent possible to permit school districts to participate in the electronic
course program that have a higher than average population of underserved
gifted and talented students.