BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 962
Veteran Affairs & Military Installations
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, prioritization of instructional facilities allotment (IFA) funding occurs in the event that insufficient funds are appropriated to cover all submitted requests for aid. Districts that submit a qualified request for IFA funding are ranked from poorest to wealthiest and the requests are funded until the limit of funds has been reached. Students of military families from locations outside of Texas will relocate to Texas over the next several years due to base realignment and closure (BRAC) and transfer of active duty service members. This bill will help BRAC-impacted school districts secure the IFA funding necessary to properly serve the children of military personnel transferring due to BRAC.
C.S.S.B. 962 reduces a school district's wealth per student by 25 percent for purposes of IFA if the school district is required to construct, acquire, renovate, or improve one or more instructional facilities as a result of incoming children of military personnel.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 46.006, Education Code, by adding Subsection (c-2) and by amending Subsection (d), as follows:
(c-2) Provides that a district's wealth per student is reduced by 25 percent for the purposes of this section (Assistance With Instructional Facilities and Payment of Existing Debt) if the district demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commissioner of education (commissioner) that the district is required to construct, acquire, renovate, or improve one or more instructional facilities to serve the children of military personnel transferred to a military installation in or near the district under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. Section 2687). Provides that the reduction is in addition to any reduction under Subsection (a), (b), or (c) and is computed before the district's wealth per student is reduced under those subsections, if applicable. Provides that this section expires September 1, 2012.
(d) Requires the commissioner to adjust the rankings after making the reductions in wealth per student required by Subsections (a), (b), (c), and (c-2).
SECTION 2. Amends Section 46.006(d), Education Code, effective September 1, 2012, to require the commissioner to adjust the rankings after making the reductions in wealth per student required by Subsection (a), (b), and (c).
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007, except as otherwise provided by this Act.