SRC-MSY S.B. 16 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 16
78R5841 SLO-DBy: Staples
Education
3/20/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current law requires school districts to spend compensatory education
funds on instructional services for at-risk students in order to address
disparities in assessment performance and high school completion rates
between at-risk students and their peers.  As proposed, S.B. 16 allows a
school district to use compensatory education funds for mentoring programs
that aim to further the goal of assisting at-risk youth. 

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 29C, Education Code, by adding Section 29.089,
as follows: 

Sec.  29.089.  MENTORING SERVICES PROGRAM. (a)  Authorizes each school
district to provide a mentoring services program to students at the
district's schools. 

(b)  Requires a district that provides a mentoring services program to
meet standards adopted by the governor under the mentoring initiative
established by the governor. 

(c)  Requires the board of trustees of the district to obtain the consent
of a student's parent or guardian before allowing the student to
participate in the program. 

(d)  Authorizes the board of trustees of the district to arrange for any
public or private community-based organization to come to the district's
schools and implement the program. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 42.152, Education Code, by adding Subsection
(c-1) to authorize funds allocated under Section 42.152 to be used to fund
a district's mentoring services program under Section 29.089,
notwithstanding Subsection (c). 

SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.