SRC-MSY S.B. 586 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 586
78R4793 BDH-DBy: Barrientos
Education
3/13/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, home-schooled children are exempted from compulsory
public school attendance. In order to make a child exempt, the child's
parent may verbally agree to home-school the child and an authorized
representative of the relevant school district may make a record of the
agreement.  As proposed, S.B. 586 requires the parent or guardian of a
child who is to be exempt from compulsory attendance because of
home-schooling to provide the commissioner of education with a promissory
note indicating that the parent accepts full responsibility for the
child's education. 

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 Section 25.086, Education Code, by adding Subsection
(c), as follows: 

(c)  Exempts a home-schooled child under Subsection (a)(1) only if the
child's parent or guardian provides the commissioner of education
(commissioner) with written acknowledgment, on a form adopted by the
commissioner, that the parent or guardian accepts complete responsibility
for adequately teaching the child based on a curriculum designed to meet
basic education goals.  

SECTION 2.  Requires the commissioner to adopt the form described by
Section 25.086(c) by January 1, 2004. 

SECTION 3.  Provides that this Act is applicable beginning with the
2004-2005 school year. 

SECTION 4.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.