SRC-BWC S.C.R. 53 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.C.R. 53
By: Barrientos
Administration
5/9/2001
As Filed


DIGEST

The Communities in Schools program is an exemplary program that exists to
help young people learn, stay in school, and prepare for a successful life
by providing school-based social services and links to community resources.
It is the intent of the legislature that the Communities in Schools program
operate throughout the state.  In order to maximize the effectiveness of
the Communities in Schools program, it is necessary to appoint a bipartisan
advisory council to serve in an advisory capacity to the Communities in
Schools of Texas, Incorporated, office.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.C.R. 53 submits the following resolutions:

Provides that the 77th Texas Legislature hereby creates the Communities in
Schools of Texas State Advisory Council with a scope of responsibilities
limited to:   

(1)  public relations and marketing in order to develop and implement a
statewide marketing campaign to promote the Communities in Schools program
concept and the effectiveness of its prevention model and to educate state
and community leaders by increasing public awareness of school dropout
problems and the effectiveness of the prevention model in addressing those
problems;  

(2)  replication of the Communities in Schools program throughout all
independent school districts in the state by helping to secure funding in
new communities and by introducing community leaders to the Communities in
Schools program;  

(3)  fundraising and resource development and the development and
implementation of a fundraising strategy in coordination with the
Communities in Schools of Texas, Incorporated, office to secure additional
private funds to ensure the expansion and sustainability of the Communities
in Schools program statewide and assist the program to obtain additional
resources and secure partnerships to further the mission of the program;  

(4)  strategic planning and the development and implementation of a
strategic plan in coordination with the Communities in Schools of Texas,
Incorporated, office in order to support the program's goals and
objectives.   

Provides that the governor, the lieutenant governor, the senator for
District 14, the Communities in Schools of Texas, Incorporated, office, the
Communities in Schools National Office, and the Communities in Schools
Executive Directors Association of Texas may propose a list of individuals
from the public and private sectors to serve as members of the advisory
council without regard to the race, ethnicity, gender, religion,
disability, age, or national origin of the proposed member.  Provides that
the proposed members of the advisory council must be representative of the
ethnic diversity of the state's population and must reflect the interests
of the major regions of the state.  Provides that the advisory council
shall be composed of 15  members, with nine members being appointed by the
governor, three members being appointed by the lieutenant governor, and
three members being appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives.  Provides that members of the advisory council serve
without compensation or reimbursement of expenses.  Provides that the
advisory council members shall serve staggered three-year terms and that
the initial appointments to the council shall be made with terms of one,
two, or three years as necessary so that one-third of the appointed
members' terms expire each year.  Provides that provisions relating to
membership requirements on the council shall be determined under the
conditions and in accordance with the procedures provided by the bylaws of
the advisory council.  Provides that the advisory council shall work
closely with the Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services to
support the implementation and growth of the Communities in Schools program
statewide.