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78R1555 CAS-D

By:  Van Arsdale                                                  H.B. No. 693



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a school district to reject the 
application of a student under the public education grant program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 29.203(d), Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
	(d)  A school district chosen by a student's parent under 
Section 29.201 may [is entitled to accept or] reject the 
application for the student to attend school in that district only 
if the district does not have a position available for the student
[but may not use criteria that discriminate on the basis of a 
student's race, ethnicity, academic achievement, athletic 
abilities, language proficiency, sex, or socioeconomic status].  A 
[school] district that has more [acceptable] applicants for 
attendance under this subchapter than available positions must give 
priority to students at risk of dropping out of school as defined by 
Section 29.081 and must fill the available positions by lottery.  
However, to achieve continuity in education, a [school] district 
may give preference over at-risk students to enrolled students and 
to the siblings of enrolled students residing in the same household 
or other children residing in the same household as enrolled 
students for the convenience of parents, guardians, or custodians 
of those children.  A district may not discriminate under this 
subsection on the basis of a student's race, ethnicity, academic 
achievement, athletic abilities, language proficiency, or 
socioeconomic status.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2003-2004 
school year.       
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.