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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to additional state aid for certain school districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 42.25162 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.25162. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR CERTAIN DISTRICTS. |
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(a) This section applies only to a school district determined by |
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the commissioner to be the predominant provider of public education |
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in a county of this state based on the following factors: |
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(1) the extent to which the district is the public |
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education provider for substantially all of the students residing |
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in the county who attend school in a school district, other than a |
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minimal number of students in the county who reside in the |
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attendance zone of another school district; |
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(2) the degree of hardship that the district's |
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students would experience if the district were to discontinue |
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providing public education and the district's students were |
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required to attend school in another school district; and |
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(3) any other relevant factor identified by the |
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commissioner. |
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(b) A school district is entitled to the additional state |
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aid that would have been provided to the district for the current |
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school year under Section 42.2516, as that section existed on |
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January 1, 2017, if: |
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(1) the district demonstrates, to the satisfaction of |
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the commissioner, that the failure to receive that state aid would |
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require the district to close at least one campus; and |
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(2) the district received additional state aid under |
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Section 42.2516, for: |
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(A) the 2015-2016 school year; or |
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(B) the 2016-2017 school year. |
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(c) In implementing this section, the commissioner shall |
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make determinations regarding additional state aid under Section |
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42.2516, as that section existed January 1, 2017, using the |
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percentage reduction for purposes of former Section 42.2516(i) |
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specified by appropriation for the 2016-2017 school year. |
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(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including |
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Section 42.2528, if the commissioner determines that the amount |
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appropriated for the purposes of the Foundation School Program |
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exceeds the amount to which school districts are entitled under |
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this chapter, the commissioner by rule shall use the excess funds to |
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provide funding to school districts entitled to funds under this |
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section. |
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(e) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 42.2528(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Section 42.25162, notwithstanding |
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[Notwithstanding] any other provision of law, if the commissioner |
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determines that the amount appropriated for the purposes of the |
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Foundation School Program exceeds the amount to which school |
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districts are entitled under this chapter, the commissioner by rule |
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shall establish a grant program through which excess funds are |
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awarded as grants for the purchase of video equipment, or for the |
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reimbursement of costs for previously purchased video equipment, |
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used for monitoring special education classrooms or other special |
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education settings required under Section 29.022. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |