SRC-AMY S.B. 1373 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1373
By: Shapiro
Education
3/31/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas school districts are responsible for the education of
every student residing in their district, including students in drug
treatment, halfway houses, and juvenile detention centers.  Many of the
students in a Texas Youth Commission (TYC) facility are in short-term
placements, several grades behind their peers, and not permanent district
residents.  The performance of such students is not counted in a school
district's accountability rating, but students in a TYC-contracted
facility are counted in a district's accountability rating, typically
lowering that rating.  As proposed, S.B. 1373 prohibits students in a
residential program or facility operated by, or under a contract with, the
Texas Youth Commission, or other governmental entity, from being counted
in the accreditation status, or in relation to the academic excellence
indicator standards, of the district within which the program or facility
is located. This bill requires the performance of such a student to be
determined and reported separately. 


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 39.073, Education Code, by adding Subsection
(g), as follows: 

(g) Prohibits, notwithstanding any other provision of the law, the
performance on any academic excellence indicators of students confined, by
court order, in a residential program or facility operated by, or under a
contract with, the Texas Youth Commission, or other governmental entity,
from being considered in determining the accreditation status of the
district within which such a program or facility is located, and from
being considered in determining the district's performance in relation to
the academic excellence indicator standards.  Requires the performance of
such a student on an assessment instrument, or other academic excellence
indicators adopted by the state, to be determined and reported separately
from the determination and report of the district within which the program
or facility is physically located. 

SECTION 2.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2003 - 2004
school year. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.