BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 274
Education
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Communities in Schools (CIS) program is operated by non-profit organizations in association with local school districts to keep at-risk children in school. The program was first funded in the early 1980s using discretionary federal Job Training Partnership Act funds available to the governor. In the early 1990s, its funding was expanded with funds from the compensatory education fund. Since that time, a majority of funding for CIS has come from this fund, but the Education Code does not specify that the funds have to be set aside for CIS.
Since the creation of CIS, other programs have been funded from compensatory education funds specifically set aside within the Education Code.
As proposed, S.B. 274 creates a statutory set-aside within Article 42.152 (Compensatory Education Allotment), Education Code, of at least $13 million per year for CIS.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 42.152, Education Code, by adding Subsection (w) to require the commissioner of education (commissioner), each fiscal year, to withhold an amount to be determined by the commissioner from the total amount of funds appropriated for allotments under this section, but not less than $13 million for programs under Subchapter E, Chapter 33, and distribute that amount as provided by Section 33.156 (Funding; Expansion of Participation). Requires the commissioner, after deducting the amount withheld under this subsection from the total amount appropriated for the allotment under Subsection (a), to reduce each district's tier one allotments in the same manner described for a reduction in allotments under Section 42.253 and to allocate funds to each district accordingly.
SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective to the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.