Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB1897 by Taylor, Larry (relating to public school accountability, including the powers and duties of the commissioner of education regarding open-enrollment charter schools.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend the Education Code related to public school accountability, including the powers and duties of the Commissioner of Education regarding open-enrollment charter schools.
The bill would change a criteria for a charter-holder to create a new campus from "no campuses" to "no more than 10 percent of the campuses under the charter" having received a rating in the lowest performance category.
The bill would allow the Commissioner to grant an additional charter to a charter holder if the charter is for electronic courses through the virtual school network or any other type of allowable open-enrollment charter.
The bill would also, for purposes of renewal or revocation, not allow consideration of a charter holder's first assigned performance rating.
The bill would require the Commissioner to allow representatives of the charter holder to meet with the Commissioner prior to a revocation or reconstitution.
The bill would direct the Commissioner to assign a district a corrected rating if the district's rating is challenged and the challenge demonstrates that a data, calculation error, or inaccuracy caused the district to have a lower academic or financial accountability rating.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2015, or immediately if passed with the necessary voting margins, and apply beginning in school year 2015-16.
Based on the analysis of the Texas Education Agency, duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.
Local Government Impact
Charter operators holding multiple charters would have additional administrative costs for duplicative reporting and oversight. These administrative costs would be voluntary based on the charter seeking additional charters.