BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 826

By: Farias

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

When a child is placed in the conservatorship of the state, the child may be displaced from his or her school, depending on the location of available foster care. This change can have a detrimental effect on the child's development, particularly given the circumstances that lead to state conservatorship. Currently, there is no designated employee in a school district who monitors the transfer or enrollment of such children within public schools. H.B. 826 seeks to ease the negative effects of school transfers on a child in the conservatorship of the state by appointing at least one school district employee as a liaison officer to facilitate the enrollment in or transfer to a public school of such a child.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 826 amends the Education Code to require each school district, not later than December 1, 2011, to appoint at least one employee to act as a liaison officer to facilitate the enrollment in or transfer to a public school of a child in the district who is in the conservatorship of the state.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.