Senate Committee on Funding Issues in Education, Interim - 75th R.S. (1997)
Committee Members
- Teel Bivins, Co-Chair
- Bill Ratliff, Co-Chair
- Robert Duncan
- Gregory Luna
- David Sibley
- Royce West
- Judith Zaffirini
Charges
-
Study the current status of student financial assistance and tuition exemption/waiver programs. Identify possible criteria to be considered by the Legislature in evaluating such proposals and to establish priorities for these programs in the future.
-
Review the appropriateness of current allotments, weights, and set-asides under the Foundation School Program to fund school districts.
-
Study the management, investment, and distribution of funds dedicated to public and higher education, including the Permanent School Fund, Available School Fund, Permanent University Fund, Available University Fund, and Higher Education Fund. The Committee should review the purpose of these funds and the ability of these funds to continue to meet the needs of the state.
-
Study the factors affecting undergraduate enrollment and graduation rates at public colleges and universities in Texas, and make recommendations for any necessary legislative action. The Committee should consider the costs of higher education and the availability of financial assistance to students; collaborative efforts between higher education and public education systems; and student recruitment and retention efforts. The Committee should also consider methods to effectively measure institutions' performance in meeting enrollment and graduation goals set by the Legislature.
-
Evaluate and, if needed, make recommendations to determine need and allocation of funds for higher education budget special items, medical schools and Texas A&M Service agencies.
- Study the costs of textbooks for public schools and, if necessary, make recommendations to improve the purchasing process to ensure that Texas schools are receiving the best price possible. In its work, the Committee should examine the use of computers and other technological resources as alternative teaching aids to textbooks and consider whether these alternative resources are more economical and efficient in enhancing the learning capacities of children
Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.