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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the transportation allotments provided under the |
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Foundation School Program to school districts that permit students |
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to select a campus of attendance. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 42.155(b), Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subdivision (3) and adding Subdivision (4) to read as |
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follows: |
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(3) "Linear density" means: |
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(A) for purposes of Subsection (c), the average |
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number of regular eligible students transported daily, divided by |
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the approved daily route miles traveled by the [respective] |
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transportation system; and |
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(B) for purposes of Subsection (c-1), the average |
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number of school choice eligible students transported daily, |
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divided by the approved daily route miles traveled by the |
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transportation system. |
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(4) "School choice eligible student" means a student |
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who: |
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(A) chooses to attend a campus other than the |
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campus to which the student would regularly be assigned because the |
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campus of choice offers unique academic programs not available at |
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the regularly assigned campus; |
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(B) resides two or more miles from the student's |
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campus of choice, measured along the shortest route that may be |
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traveled on public roads; and |
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(C) is not classified as a student eligible for |
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special education services. |
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SECTION 2. Section 42.155, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c-1) This subsection applies only to a district that offers |
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students residing in the district a variety of choices in selecting |
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a campus for attendance and provides transportation to the selected |
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campus at no cost to the students. The choices of campus offered |
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must represent multiple factors, such as the sex of students |
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enrolled at the campus, the subject matter or learning methods |
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emphasized at the campus, and the degree to which athletic and other |
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extracurricular activities are available at the campus. In |
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addition to the regular transportation allotment under Subsection |
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(c), a district is entitled to an allotment based on the daily cost |
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per school choice eligible student of operating and maintaining the |
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transportation system for school choice eligible students and the |
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linear density of that system. In determining the cost, the |
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commissioner shall give consideration to factors affecting the |
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actual cost of providing those transportation services in the |
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district. The average actual cost is to be computed by the |
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commissioner and included for consideration by the legislature in |
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the General Appropriations Act. The allotment per mile of approved |
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route may not exceed the amount set by appropriation. |
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(d) A district or county may apply for and on approval of the |
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commissioner receive an additional amount of up to 10 percent of its |
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regular transportation allotment under Subsection (c) to be used |
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for the transportation of children living within two miles of the |
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school they attend who would be subject to hazardous traffic |
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conditions if they walked to school. Each board of trustees shall |
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provide to the commissioner the definition of hazardous conditions |
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applicable to that district and shall identify the specific |
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hazardous areas for which the allocation is requested. A hazardous |
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condition exists where no walkway is provided and children must |
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walk along or cross a freeway or expressway, an underpass, an |
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overpass or a bridge, an uncontrolled major traffic artery, an |
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industrial or commercial area, or another comparable condition. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |