BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 510
By: Lucio
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, school districts can start the school year no earlier than the week in which August 21 falls, with Sunday being the first day of the week. School districts can obtain waivers from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) by posting a hearing on the proposed first day of school and submitting input to TEA on the discussion at the board meeting. Schools in Texas are starting their school year so early in the summer that children and teachers are no longer getting a true summer break, children of migrant workers are missing too many days of instruction because they return after classes have started, and the state of Texas is paying more in air conditioning and other costs from the extended school year that begins in early August.
S.B. 510 changes the date in which schools can start to the first Tuesday after Labor Day.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.0811(a), Education Code, to require a school district to begin instruction for students for a school a year on the first Tuesday after Labor Day. Deletes existing text prohibiting a district from beginning instruction before the week in which August 21 falls and establishing that Sunday is the first day of the week for purposes of this subsection.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.