S.B. 578 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 578 By: Shapiro Public Education Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Although schools which participate in the Advanced Placement (AP) program receive a $3000 equipment grant and $100 for each student who scores a 3 or higher on an AP test, current law provides no guidelines for determining the use of those funds. S.B. 578 requires principals of schools participating in the AP program to assemble a team of teachers experienced with the program to determine the use of the award funds. In addition, S.B. 578 specifically allows such a team to direct funds to award individual teachers in the program. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, institution, or agency. ANALYSIS S.B. 578 amends the Education Code to require the principal of each school participating in the Advanced Placement program to convene, at least once a year, a team of no more than five people, including at least three teachers, who meet certain requirements for the purpose of determining the use of Advanced Placement program funds. The bill prohibits anything in this section (Section 28.053) from limiting the authority of the team to direct expenditure of funds awarded under Section 28.053(a)(2) for awards of individual teachers participating in the program. The bill requires Advanced Placement program funds awarded to be used in the manner determined by the campus team established by the principal. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003.