HBA-MSH H.B. 1142 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1142
By: Dutton
Public Education
3/26/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The size of the Houston Independent School District creates logistical
problems in administering such a large district that can affect the quality
of instruction and services.  According to an HISD survey, 23 percent of
district residents said that HISD was worse than other school districts in
the area.  By some accounts, HISD is losing many students in Northeast
Houston as they  transfer to better performing schools. House Bill 1142
divides HISD into four subdistricts, each with responsibility for the
instructional aspects of the school system. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1142 amends the Education Code to require the board of trustees
of a school district with an enrollment of over 200,000 students to divide
by rule the district into four subdistricts to be known as a unified school
system.  The bill requires the board of trustees of the district to adopt
rules for the transition to a unified school system.  The board of trustees
of a unified school system consists of one trustee elected from each of the
subdistricts and three trustees elected from the district at large who
serve staggered fouryear terms.  The bill requires the board of a unified
school system to adopt rules regulating noninstructional services for each
subdistrict and to employ a superintendent to serve as the chief officer of
the system.  The bill requires the board of a unified school system to
collect and levy taxes, issue bonds, and apportion all funding among the
subdistricts based on the total number of students enrolled in each
subdistrict.  The bill specifies that each subdistrict is to be governed by
an independent board of trustees.  The bill grants each subdistrict board
exclusive authority over instructional services provided within the
subdistrict, and all the rights and privileges of a board of a school
district as necessary to exercise this authority.  The bill provides for
the election of trustees of the unified system and of the subdistricts. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.