Honorable Larry Taylor, Chair, Senate Committee on Education
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB640 by Taylor, Van (Relating to equal opportunity for access by home-schooled students to University Interscholastic League sponsored activities; authorizing a fee.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Chapter 33 of the Education Code to require a public school that participates in a University Interscholastic League (UIL) activity to allow a home-schooled student to take part in and represent the school in that league activity. The UIL could not prohibit a home-schooled student from participating in league activities.
In order to participate, a home-schooled student would have to meet relevant eligibility requirements, including academic standards. A home-schooled student would be required to verify academic eligibility by demonstrating proficiency on a nationally recognized, norm-referenced assessment. The student's parent or person standing in parental relation to the student would be responsible for oversight of academic standards related to the student's participation in a UIL activity.
The bill would take immediate effect if it receives a two-thirds vote of each house of the Legislature. Otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2017. The bill would apply beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.
According to the Texas Education Agency and the University of Texas System, any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
Local Government Impact
Local school districts may experience costs associated with uniforms, equipment, travel, and other factors related to student participation in UIL activities. To the extent that a school district does not charge its students fees to cover costs associated with UIL activities, that school district could experience increased costs due to participation in UIL activities by home-schooled students. There could also be some administrative costs associated with collecting academic performance information for the purpose of verifying the academic eligibility of home-schooled students.
Source Agencies:
701 Texas Education Agency, 720 The University of Texas System Administration