| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a pilot program using average enrollment for purposes |
|
|
of the public school finance system. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 48, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 48.0052 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 48.0052. AVERAGE ENROLLMENT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The |
|
|
commissioner by rule shall establish a pilot program under which |
|
|
participating school districts and open-enrollment charter schools |
|
|
receive funding under the public school finance system based on |
|
|
average enrollment instead of average daily attendance. |
|
|
(b) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
|
|
must apply to participate in the pilot program. |
|
|
(c) To the extent practicable, the commissioner shall |
|
|
approve for participation in the pilot program: |
|
|
(1) five school districts with a student enrollment as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(A) one district with a student enrollment of |
|
|
1,500 or less; |
|
|
(B) one district with a student enrollment of |
|
|
more than 1,500 but not more than 5,000; |
|
|
(C) one district with a student enrollment of |
|
|
more than 5,000 but not more than 20,000; |
|
|
(D) one district with a student enrollment of |
|
|
more than 20,000 but less than 50,000; and |
|
|
(E) one district with a student enrollment of |
|
|
50,000 or more; and |
|
|
(2) three open-enrollment charter schools of three |
|
|
different sizes, as determined by the commissioner. |
|
|
(d) Under the pilot program, the commissioner shall, for |
|
|
each participating school district or open-enrollment charter |
|
|
school, for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years: |
|
|
(1) reduce by $200 the amount of the basic allotment |
|
|
determined under Section 48.051 for each student enrolled in the |
|
|
district or school; |
|
|
(2) calculate the district's or school's entitlement |
|
|
under Chapter 46 and this chapter using the average number of |
|
|
students enrolled at the district or school instead of the |
|
|
district's or school's average daily attendance determined under |
|
|
Section 48.005; and |
|
|
(3) make the payments from the foundation school fund |
|
|
to the district or school under Section 48.273 in four equal amounts |
|
|
on or before dates determined by commissioner rule. |
|
|
(e) Not later than December 1, 2024, the commissioner shall |
|
|
submit to the legislature a written report on the results of the |
|
|
pilot program and any recommendations for legislative or other |
|
|
action. |
|
|
(f) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to |
|
|
implement the pilot program. |
|
|
(g) This section expires September 1, 2025. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |