Honorable Florence Shapiro, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB296 by Wentworth (Relating to the mitigation of the impact of residential development in public school districts.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require the Commissioner of Education, upon request by a school district, to review proposals for residential developments of 1,000 or more residential units to determine whether the development is likely to increase elementary school enrollment in a school district to an extent warranting construction of a new elementary school facility. Costs to the Texas Education Agency would vary with the number of requests for review submitted, but are not expected to be significant.
Local Government Impact
The bill would require a developer of a proposed residential development of 1,000 or more residential units to provide advance notice to a public school district of the submission of a plat or replat. If, upon request, the Commissioner of Education determined the development would create a need for a new elementary school, the district would be entitled to purchase a percentage of the property unless the developer had already designated a location for a new elementary school within the site on at least 15 acres of land. School districts with successful requests could benefit from the ability to purchase property in order to handle increased elementary student enrollment.