HBA-NRS, CCH H.B. 406 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 406
By: Denny
Public Education
4/9/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Foundation School Program provides weighted funding to schools serving
special needs students who are not residents within the province of those
schools. These students are located in hospital classes, group homes, and
care and treatment facilities including state schools, and are assigned to
instructional arrangements based on these locations. The cost of serving
out-of-district students in hospital settings and on regular campuses
continues to increase due to personnel and operating expenses, which
creates an undue burden on local taxpayers. To compensate school districts
for their efforts to integrate these students onto public school campuses
the weighted formula for special education funding would have to be
adjusted. House Bill 406 increases the funding weights for special needs
students who are attending classes outside or their recognized school
districts.  

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 406 amends the Education Code relating to the funding of special
education programs through the Foundation School Program.  H.B. 406
increases the weight accorded to students in  the hospital class from 3.0
to 4.0.  The bill increases the weight from 4.0 to 5.0 for students with
disabilities who reside in care and treatment facilities other than state
schools, whose parents or guardians do not reside in some district
providing education services, and who receive services on a local district
campus.  The bill divides students who reside in state schools into two
categories and increases the weight from 2.8 to 4.0 for those who receive
their education services on the state school campus and increases the
weight from 2.8 to 5.0 for those who receive their education services on a
local school district campus. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.