BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 525

By: Aycock

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that creating a military student identifier for students to be counted and recorded through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) would provide lawmakers and educators with the essential data needed to make reality-based and informed decisions, allow educational institutions to monitor critical elements of education success for children who are dependents of military personnel, and show the state's commitment to military personnel and their children. H.B. 525 seeks to provide for the collection of data relating to military-connected students through PEIMS.

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. 525 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to collect data each year from school districts and open-enrollment charter schools through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) relating to the enrollment of military-connected students. The bill requires the data to include the number of active duty military-connected students and the number of National Guard or reserve military-connected students enrolled in the school district or charter school on a date at the beginning of the school year and a date at the end of the school year specified by TEA and prohibits the data from being used for purposes of determining a campus or district performance rating with regard to accreditation. The bill's provisions apply beginning with the 2013-2014 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.