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.