legislative update october 2015. ©2015, texas association of school business officials. all rights...

Legislative Update

October 2015


Good News … Bad News

• “The system is designed to make it extremely difficult to pass bills,” Rep. Four Price, R-Amarillo

• Usually, only about 15 percent of all bills filed become law

4


FILED PASSED PERCENTAGE

House Bill 4,207 698 16.6%

House Concurrent Resolution 122 52 42.6%

House Joint Resolution 133 2 1.5%

Senate Bills 2,069 448 21.7%

Senate Concurrent Resolutions 52 29 55.8%

Senate Joint Resolutions 67 4 5.9%

Combined 6,650 1,233 18.5%

5


Constraints on Spending

• Biennial spending limit adopted by the LBB on December 1st – Cannot exceed the estimated rate of

growth of the state’s economy– Base amount of appropriations at $84.4

billion– LBB adopted the most conservative

level of spending although current bills are pending to limit growth in budget even further

6


General Government3.0%

Health & Human Services36.8%

Agencies of Education37.4%

Public Safety & Criminal

Justice5.9%

The Judiciary0.4%

Natural Resources

2.1%

Business and Economic Develop-

ment13.2%

Regulatory0.4%

General Provisions0.4%

The Legislature0.2%

Appropriated 2015/16

Total $209,431.60

http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/


Has Funding Kept Pace with Inflation?

8


Year Over Year Stats on 140th Day

10


Senate Interim Charges

• School choice• Charter school approval, expansion, and

revocation• Teacher preparation, retention, and

shortages• Efficiency / productivity review



• Broadband access• Teacher-student relationships / student

safety• County school systems• School board governance and low-

performing schools



• Monitoring charge• Debt transparency in the voting booth



• Property Tax Process• Reduce Tax Burden• Spending Limit• Fiscal Responsibility• Sales Tax Holiday


House Bill 1

• $2.3B for Enrollment Growth• Additional $1.5B for Foundation

School Program – $1.2B increase in basic allotment to

$5,140 each year– $200M fractional funding – Increase in Guaranteed Yield $74.28

(2016) and $77.53 (2017)– $55.5M for IFA (2017)– $47.5M for NIFA

15


Other Components of House Bill 1

• Increase in IMA allotment to $1.04B• $40.6M for Math and Reading

Academies• $31.7M for SSI (down from $60.5M)• $8.0M for Virtual Schools (unchanged)

• $118M for Pre-K programs meeting certain requirements

• Annual school district contribution for TRS-Care remains at 0.55 percent of total payroll 16


Tax Relief Included in House Bill 1

• $2.6B for a 25% reduction to Franchise Tax

• $1.2B to hold districts harmless for the $10,000 increase to the homestead exemption– Calculated without any rate

increases after 2014 and at 2015/16 formulas

– Limited to eligible debt as of 9/1/15

17


Highlights from Budget Conferees

FY 14 FY 15 FY 16 FY 17

Sum Certain Total FSP State Aid in millions

$19,909.7 $20,489.4 $21,158.6 $21,177.1

19

Foundation School Program

General Appropriations Act



FY 14 FY 15 FY 16 FY 17

Basic Allotment $4,950 $5,040 $5,140 $5,140

20





FY 14 FY 15 FY 16 FY 17

Enrichment Guaranteed Yield

$59.97 $61.86 $74.28 $77.53

21





FY 14 FY 15 FY 16 FY 17

New Instructional Facilities Allotment in Millions

$-0- $-0- $23.75 $23.75

22





FY 14 FY 15 FY 16 FY 17

New Awards Instructional Facilities Allotment in Millions

$-0- $-0- $-0- $55.5

23




Pre-K

• HB 4• See TEA announcement on required submission of Pre-k and K

data by December 18, 2015• Submit data to be eligible for initial round of Pre-K grant

funding • Pre-K expansion to full-day• $130 million• Up to $1,500 per student• Senate floor amendments –

– Pre-K expansion is an option not a mandate– Intended to fund “high-quality” programs– $1,500 per student regardless if enrolled in half- or full-day program– Encourages student to teacher ratio of 11:1

24

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=HB4



Comptroller Transparency

• C.S.H.B. 7 Amends the Government Code • Requires comptroller, after each regular session

of the legislature, to – itemize each general revenue-dedicated account,

and – the estimated balance and revenue in each account

that is considered available for the purposes of certification of appropriations.

– SB 1276 Companion bill– Fractional funding language moved to this bill after

SB945 died in House

25



Ethics

• HB 23 – Modifies Required Conflict of Interest

Disclosures to include family relationships at the third degree

– Reduces gift threshold from $250 to $100 – Criminal offense for not reporting

relationship within seven days ranging from Class A to Class C misdemeanor depending upon amount of contract

26

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=HB23


Tax Relief by House

• HB 32 Reduce franchise tax rate for retailers and wholesalers and reduced the rate for other taxpayers

27



Texting

• HB 80 • Did not pass• Would establish a statewide prohibition on

text-based communication while driving.• Creates a criminal offense• Misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $25 to

$99• Previously convicted punishable by a fine

$100 to $200

28



Debt

• HB 114• Limits use of CABs secured by property taxes• Prohibits CABS maturity > 20 years after issuance (Senate substitute changed

HB from 25 to 20 years)• Prohibits CABs for maintenance or transportation related-items• Limits use of unexpended balance to intended uses on ISDs website• Use capped at 25% total outstanding bonded indebtedness at time of

issuance based upon P&I thru maturity• Prohibits extending maturity date existing CABs unless

– reduction in P&I or – I&S at legal maximum and TEA certifies solvency of bond guarantee program

would be threatened without the extension• Transparency disclosures on ISD’s website• Disclosure requirements for board members and any financial advisor, bond

counsel, bond underwriter, or other professional associated with the bond issuance

29



State Comp Ed

• HB 256• Did not pass

– Allow SCE allotment to be used for • Child-care services for students at risk

of dropping out of school• Child-care expenses for students at risk

of dropping out of school• Services provided through a life skills

program 29.085(b)(1) and (3)-(7)30




Taxes

• HB 275 by Trenton Ashby• Add exemption from ad valorem taxation

of farm products to – “An egg, as defined by Section 132.001,

Agriculture Code, is farm product for purposes of this section, regardless of whether the egg is packaged”

31




Board Meetings

• HB 283• ISD student enrollment = > 10,000• Make video and audio recording

– Regular scheduled open meeting that is not a work session

– Special called meeting – Post on ISD’s web site within 7 days– Remain posted for 2 years

32



Taxes

• HB 376 by Ron Simmons• Did not pass• Closes a loophole in the Tax Code • If an entity that owns land designated for open-

space use sells the land to a political subdivision of the state, and the political subdivision in turn changes the use of the land and then sells the land back to the entity, no back taxes are owed because the change in use occurred while the land was in possession of the nontaxable political subdivision

33




Curriculum

• HB 505 HB 2812/ SB 1159 – Prohibit restriction on number of dual

credit hours or courses a student in a traditional high school may take per semester

– Several bills introduced on this public policy topic

34






Personnel

• HB 548• Did not pass• ISD may not include question about applicant’s criminal

history record on an initial employment application form• ISD may inquire about criminal history record after

determines applicant is otherwise qualified and has conditionally offered applicant the position or invited applicant to interview

• Does not apply to position involving– Provision of services or care of children– Direct interaction with children– Where consideration of criminal history is otherwise required by

law

35



Public Information

• HB 685 – Allows school district to refer to an exact

Internet site URL in response to a public information request

– Passed by Both Chambers

• SB 902– Requires public disclosure of the control files of

a database used by school districts to record financial information

36


http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=SB902


Risk Management

• HB 744 • Authorizes board to obtain insurance

against– bodily injuries sustained by students while

training for or engaging in interschool athletic competition or

– while engaging in school-sponsored activities, rather than while engaging in school-sponsored activities on a school campus.

37



Student Activities• EPI pens passed but not EKG• HB 767 / SB 602

– Did not pass– Requires students to have EKG as part

of UIL participation exam– HB 767 Passed 3rd Reading in House

• SB 66 ‒ Passed‒ Requires EPI pens at school events

38





Investment Training

• HB 870– Reduce investment training from 10 to 8

hours after initial two consecutive fiscal years

39




Rollback Rate

• HB 964• Did not pass• Passed in House and died in Senate• Removes requirement for election where

proposed tax rate is less than tax rate approved in an election for – M&O tax rate for 2006 tax year or – Sum of M&O and I&S for 2007 tax year or

later40



SSAs and Insurance - Charter Schools

• HB 1170 • Open-enrollment charter school is considered to

be a local government/political subdivision for purposes of– Interlocal Cooperation Act– self-insurance by governmental units– Texas Political Subdivision Employees Uniform Group

Benefits Act– Extending workers' compensation benefits to

employees of the school through any method available to a political subdivision

41



Tort Immunity – Charter Schools

• HB 1171 SB 1569• Open-enrollment charter school is a

governmental unit for purposes of– Texas Tort Claims Act– Tort claims payments consistent with ISDs– Adjudication of claims arising under written

contracts with local governmental entities – Subject to liability consistent with ISDs

42


http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=SB1569


Energy Savings Performance Contracts

• HB 1184 • Extend definition of "energy savings

performance contract" – Alternative fuel programs resulting in energy

cost savings– Reduced emissions for Motor vehicles– Installation or implementation of programs

for utility cost savings

43



Report on Tax Exemptions

• HB 1261 • Directs Comptroller to issue more

complete reports on effect of a tax exemption, discount, exclusion, special valuation, special accounting treatment, special rate, or special method of reporting relating to a tax.

• Use available statistical data to estimate the effect

44



Bd Candidate Disclosure of Contracts with ISDs

• HB 1294 • Passed by House and Died in Senate• Financial statements filed by candidates to board • Candidate or candidate’s immediate family (spouse

or dependent child) to disclose contracts with ISD– If aggregate cost of goods or services sold to ISD under

one or more such contracts exceeds $10,000 in the year

• Disclose contract for sale of goods or services in the amount of $2,500 or more

– Disclosure also applies to business owned by candidate or immediate family that has at least a 50 percent ownership interest

45



State Compensatory Education

• HB 1305 • Allows locally funded program for child nutrition program on one or

more campuses, and maintaining full eligibility for FSP SCE funding• Clarifies a school district can participate in the national program at

one or more campuses in the district and provide a locally funded program at one or more other campuses in the district

• Revises calculation for computing a school district's compensatory education allotment to averaging the best six months' numbers of students eligible for enrollment in the national school lunch program of free or reduced-price lunches for the preceding school year OR manner established by Commissioner

• Currently based upon average of best six month’s number of students actually enrolled in CNP or method established by TEA (income survey) if no campus participated

46



State Compensatory Education

• HB 1305 • Must provide free breakfast to all students, if

locally funded program and 80 percent or more enrolled students on campus qualify for free or reduced priced meals

• In bill that passed language removed that would have authorized use of SCE allotment for students at risk of dropping out of school to fund– providing child care services or – assistance with child-care expenses

47



Debt

• HB 1378– Require districts to publish certain debt and

fiscal information in an annual report on an Internet website

– Mostly redundant to existing disclosures by ISDs– Per capita disclosure problematic

• Census is not per ISD boundaries

– Prohibits capital lease financing if bond for same purpose voted down in preceding three years

48




Debt

HB 1378 ContinuedDisclose dollar and per capita amounts for outstanding debt• the amount of authorized debt• the principal of all debt outstanding• the principal of each outstanding debt obligation• the principal and interest payments needed to repay all the outstanding

debt• the principal and interest payments needed to repay each obligation For each debt obligation, disclose dollar and per capita amounts:• the issued or unissued amount• the spent or unspent amount• the maturity date• the purpose for which it was originally issuedCredit ratingSubmit above to Texas Comptroller

49




IMA

• HB 1474 • Instructional materials allotment changes

from an annual allotment to a biennial allotment

• Entitlement based on student enrollment last school year of the preceding biennium

• TEA allowed to make temporary transfers from the foundation school fund for payment of the instructional materials allotment

50



Telecommunications

• HB 1475– Reinstates telecommunications discounts for

governmental entities that were phased out last session

– This bill died

51



Purchasing

• CSHB 1486• Passed in House and died in Senate• Prohibits board members to have direct or indirect

communications with an actual or prospective bidder or offeror

• As amended, the bill applies only to ISDs wholly or partially located in counties with populations of more than 1.5 million in which more than 75 percent of the populations live in a single municipality and have been a party to at least one cause of action involving a dispute over a vendor contract from 2000 to 2014.

52



Utilities

• CSHB 1535 • Amends the Utilities Code to level playing field

in rate setting protocols between Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), investor-owned electric utilities, and non-ERCOT utilities.

• After rate change, utility would be required to calculate for prior 18 month period amount of– Refunds to customers for excess billing– Surcharge to collect from customers for under-

billing

53



School Finance Overhaul

• HB 1759 by Jimmie Don Aycock• Died on House Floor• Cornerstone bill to overhaul the Texas public

school finance system– Repeals Chapters 41, 42, and 46 Education Code– Repeals Cost of Education Index – Increases Basic Allotment – Maintains Small and Mid-Size School Allotment –

phases out mid-size district allotment over a 15-year period

54




School Finance Overhaul

• HB 1759• Cornerstone bill to overhaul the Texas public

school finance system– Repeals transportation allotment– Extends CTE allotment to eighth grade– Compressed tax rate options available for districts

below the maximum rate in 2005– Limits hold harmless provisions to $75.7 million– Potential issues with spending requirements for

special programs• Pulled down from House Calendar by Rep. Aycock

55

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/84R/handouts/C4002015040714001/C4002015040714001.pdf


Paperwork Reduction

• HB 1706 • Eliminate reporting required by state law

that duplicates the content of reports also required by federal law.

• Intent to redirect resources to instructional services that are consumed by redundant “paperwork”

56



Elections

• HB 2027– Election hours and locations for early voting

are required to be consistent with Uniform November general election

57



Engineering or Architectural Services

• HB 2049 • Contracts for engineering or architectural services may contain

provisions allowing ISD to seek reimbursement of reasonable attorney's fees after a final adjudication of liability for damages involving service provider’s negligence, intentional tort, intellectual property infringement, or failure to pay a subcontractor or supplier

• Contracts for engineering or architectural services are to specify that services are to be provided by licensed engineer or registered architect. Licensed professionals are obligated to perform services with level of professional skills, care and timeliness

• Clarifies ISDs’ legal recourse for non- or substandard performance by engineers or architects

58



TCEQ Paperwork Reduction

• HB 2051 / SB912• Provides that single accidental discharges or

spills of 1,000 gallons or less at wastewater treatment facilities or collection facilities operated by ISD do not have to be reported to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), when controlled and removed before entering Texas water ecosystem

• Reduction in paperwork requirements

59




Open Records

• HB 2134 • May ask for clarification from the

requestor by email if the request was submitted via email.

• Requestor’s request for information is considered withdrawn if requestor does not respond to ISD’s requests via email for clarification or discussion

60



TRS Annuity Payments

• HB 2168 • TRS annuity payments would change to

last working day of the month for which the payment accrues

61



Comptroller’s Certified Report on Taxable Values to TEA

• HB 2293 • Eliminate the requirement that the

comptroller of public accounts make certain certifications to the commissioner of education relating to the final taxable value of property for each school district computed on certain residence homestead exemptions and the effect of specified limitations, reductions, and deductions, as applicable.

62



Immunizations

• HB 2474• Passed in House and died in Senate• Expanded reporting by ISDs to Department

of State Health Services • Immunization status of students

– District– Campuses

• DSHS to post statewide info for district and campus

63



Instructional Day and Year End• HB 2610• Although limited PEIMS data element changes for SY 2015-16 your

district must implement bills provisions in SY 2015-16• Read HB 2610 question and answer document very carefully for

instructions on requirements for SY 2015-16• http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/News_and_Multimedia/Correspond

ence/TAA_Letters/Frequently_Asked_Questions_Regarding_House_Bill_2610/

• Would change the minimum amount of instruction time each school district is required to provide each school year from 180 days to 75,600 minutes, with certain exceptions

• Specifies that such instruction time includes intermissions and recesses

• A day of instruction would mean 420 minutes of instruction• Would prohibit a school district from scheduling the last day of school

for students for a school year before May 15, with certain exceptions

64



http://tea.texas.gov/About_TEA/News_and_Multimedia/Correspondence/TAA_Letters/Frequently_Asked_Questions_Regarding_House_Bill_2610/




Sparsity Adjustment

• C.S.H.B. 2593• Modifies sparsity adjustment

– Specific to Texhoma ISD

65




Construction Manager-at-Risk

• HB 2634 • Removes an exception to a prohibition

against a ISD's project architect or engineer (when not an employee of the ISD) serving, alone or in combination with another person, as the construction manager-at-risk

• Would subject an entity related to the governmental entity's architect or engineer to that prohibition

66



Optional Flexible School Day Program

• HB 2660 / SB496• Changes optional flexible school day program

funding to two-hour and four-hour basis to earn half-day and full-day FSP regular program attendance (six hours contact time currently required for full day of attendance)

• Full-day FSP funding would be based upon 240 minutes of instruction per day (rather than the 360 minutes currently required)

67




IMA

• HB 2811 / SB313• Vetoed by Governor• Provides for review of TEKS by SBOE and whether

time for teachers to teach and students to master within one school year

• Provides that proclamations are not to exceed 75 % of IMA in each biennium

• SBOE directed to consider costs of instructional materials and tech requirements in relation to funds to be transferred from PSF. Law requires PSF transfer to fund 50% of IMA.

68


http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Actions.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=SB313


Economic Development Act Projects

• CSHB 2826 • If single unified project that is located in

more than one but not more than three school districts, then requirements/qualifications for the project apply to school district in which the project is located that has the highest taxable value of property for the preceding tax year

69



Public Information Requests

• CSHB 2839 / HB685• Adequate response to request for

information provided if refer to URL to website that, at the time of the referral, is accessible to the public if the requested information is identifiable and readily available

70



Career and Technical Education

• HB 3062• Expands career and technical education

program grants to high schools under Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program

71




Electronic Notices

• HB 3357• Allows posting notice of each board

meeting on the district's website as an alternative to providing notice of each meeting to the appropriate county clerk

72



TRS-Active Care

• HB 3453• Passed in House and Died in Senate• As Introduced contained provisions

– Allowing ISDs or risk pools to opt in and out of TRS-Active Care

• Amendment in House on May 8 – Postponed implementation of provisions in introduced bill– Provides for interim study to assess impact of changes and

potential for increased premiums– Joint committee to study impact

• Six Senators• Six Representatives

73



Food Service

• HB 3562 – Requires districts to continue to provide

meals to students who have exhausted their account balances for a period of time established by the Board

74



Payment of Interest by State Agencies

• HB 3601• Passed in House and died in Senate• All state agencies exempted from

payment of interest on refunds if accrued amount is $5 or less

75




School Grading System

• SB 6 / HB2804– Senate Bill 6 did not pass– House Bill 2804 containing provisions below

passed– Replaces ratings of “exemplary” through

“unacceptable” with letters of A-F– Begin date 2017-18

76

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/billlookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=HB2804


Academic Achievement

• SB 13• One of many bills on dual credit introduced. This bill did not pass

but prohibition on limiting dual credit hours passed under HB505• Prohibits any limitation of the number of dual credit courses or

dual credit hours in which a high school student could enroll each semester or academic year

• Require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to develop uniform public outreach materials in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese to explain curriculum changes

• Require each school district to provide instruction to each 7th and 8th grade student on how to prepare for high school, college, and a career

• Require dual credit courses to be taught by qualified instructors approved or selected by the public junior college

77




EOC Exams

• SB 149• Affected first graduating class required to

pass STAAR EOC exams to graduate in 2015

• Establishes Individual Graduation Committee

• TEA implemented emergency rules to implement for 2015 graduating class

78



Bilingual Education Allotment

• SB 161• Passed in Senate and died in House• Would have required TEA to study cost of

educating a student of limited English proficiency – Adequacy of Bilingual / ESL allotment– Variations in costs by grade level K-12

79



Financial Transparency

• SB 309• Passed in Senate and died in House• Requires the comptroller of public accounts of the State of

Texas to develop an information database of local government financial, boundary, and tax rate information that is currently required by local governments for improved public access of this information.

• Comptroller is to aggregate the financial information from local governments and assist in providing best practices.

• TEA to submit ISDs adopted budget and any financial reports filed with TEA. Comptroller to prescribe format of information to be transmitted by TEA.

80

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/84R/analysis/html/SB00309I.htm


Tort Liabilities on Tax Lien Property

• SB 450• Would apply the same exemption to all political

subdivisions, so that a county, school district, or other political subdivision with a tax lien on a property has the same protections that a municipality currently has against potential tort liability under Chapter 101, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, for events, or conditions on the property that may occur while the political subdivision is in the process of reselling the property

81



Monitoring Activities

• SB 471• Passed in Senate and died in House• Expands authority of TEA to conduct

monitoring reviews and random on-site visits of a school district at any time

• Adds authority for – monitoring reviews of fiscal reports and other fiscal

data as set forth in Section 44.010; or– comprehensive analyses of financial accountability

standards under Chapter 39 Subchapter D.

82



Texas Opportunity School District

• SB 669• Opportunity school district bill • Bill 669 died but HB1842 passed with

provisions for “district of innovation”

83



Tax Refunds

• SB 683• Passed in Senate and died in House• Provides that property owner is not

required to apply for a refund in order to receive a refund

84




Allotment for Windstorm and Hail Insurance

• SB 750• Requires the Texas Education Agency to

prepare a report by 12/1/2016 containing– the amount paid for property and casualty

insurance per student in average daily attendance by each school district and open-enrollment charter school

– the statewide average amount paid by school districts and open-enrollment charter schools for property and casualty insurance per student in average daily attendance

85




Construction Contract with Municipality

• SB 810• Allows ISD to contract with a municipality

for the design, improvement, or construction of an instructional facility, stadium, or other athletic facility

86



Fractional Funding

• SB 945• This bill died in House week of May 25th and language

was moved to HB7• ISDs with compressed M&O tax rate < $1.00

– Convert pennies equalized at the $31.95 yield to Tier 1 pennies until a full $1.00 Tier 1 rate is achieved, providing entitlement based on 100% of the basic allotment and a Tier 1 local share of $1.00.

• Conversion of Tier 2 pennies would be optional in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 and

• Would be automatic beginning in fiscal year 2018.

– To participate ISD is to notify the commissioner of education in writing not later than September 1 of the affected school year.

87



Reading Academies

• SB 972• Reading-to-learn (RTL) academies for teachers

who provide instruction for grades four or five.

• Commissioner to adopt criteria for selecting teachers to attend with priority to ISDs with 50 % or more educationally disadvantaged students

• Teachers attending the academies receive a stipend

88




Debt and Tax Rate Elections

• SB 1041• Another debt transparency bill introduced in 84th session containing similar

provisions as HB1378 that passed• Would require ballot for bond issue to disclose

– the total amount of the outstanding debt;– the total amount current debt payments;– the total amount taxes required to be imposed on a homestead at median taxable

value to repay current debt obligations; and– the estimated tax burden that would be imposed on a homestead at median taxable

value to repay bonds if authorized.• Would require ballot for proposition to increase tax rate to disclose

– the estimated additional tax burden that would be imposed on a homestead at median taxable value; and

– a detailed description of the purposes for which the tax is to be imposed or increased, if approved.

• Would require ballot for proposition to decrease tax rate to disclose estimated tax rate reduction on a homestead at median taxable value

89



School Choice Study

• SB 1178 • Provisions for study contained in Lt. Gov. Dan

Patrick’s interim charges• would require TEA to do an interim study on the

implementation of an education savings account program

• Study is to evaluate populations that might be served, potential eligibility guidelines, potential guidelines for the participation of private schools, funding methods, in addition to expenses to include as qualified education-related expenses, etc.

90



Accountability Study

• SB 1200• Passed in Senate and died in House• Creates Texas Commission on Next

Generation Assessment and Accountability to study, develop, and make recommendations for new systems of student assessment and public school accountability

• Report by 9/1/1691



Abolish PTAD in Office of Comptroller

• SB 1215• Passed in Senate and died in House• Requires the Sunset Advisory Commission to

conduct a study of the feasibility and benefits of moving the Comptroller's Property Tax Assistance Division (PTAD) from the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts (comptroller's office) into an independent state agency

• Affects property value studies, Chapter 313 agreements

• Report by 9/1/201692



Coop Agreements with Govts in Other States

• SB 1281• Authorizes Texas local governments

participation in a cooperative purchasing organizations in other states to secure the best price for goods or services

93




Off-Campus ADA

• SB 1434 / HB2812• TEA to develop criteria for student's

participation in an off-campus instructional program provided by an entity other than a school district or charter school to be counted for the purpose of calculating average daily attendance under the Foundation School Program (FSP), e.g. attending a class offered by a community college

94



Texas High Performance Schools Consortium

• SB 1771 / HB18• Increase public school system participants

to 30 (from 20) in Texas High Performance Schools Consortium

• Increase number of students enrolled in consortium to 10 % (from 5 %) of total students in public schools

95

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/billlookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=HB18


Accountability

• SB 1867• Modify calculation dropout and

completion rates– Exclude students if

• 18 years old• Satisfied credit requirements for HS graduation• Have not completed IEP, and• Enrolled and receiving IEP services

96



Organizing Employee Groups

• SB 1968• Bill died• Would prohibit the state or certain political

subdivisions from deducting or withholding dues or fees to a labor organization from an employee's salary or wages except for certain municipal fire department, police department, and emergency medical service department personnel

97



In Case You Were Wondering…• Dead but certain bills likely to reappear in next

session(s)• Dead bills include:

– Sales tax reduction – School finance overhaul– Virtual School Network Voucher Bill– Education savings account program– State tax credits for students to attend private schools– Comprehensive bills to overhaul teacher

compensation

98


In Case You Were Wondering…

• Dead bills include:– Parent trigger bill– 50-cent debt test– Top 50 enrollment ISD Internet searchable

electronic check register– Increasing number of pennies I&S for EDA funding– Consolidating local elections with November

elections– Moving bond elections to November Uniform

Election date

99


In Case You Were Wondering…

• Dead bills include:– Outlawing red light cameras– Tougher DWI laws– Setting term limits for statewide officials

100


TRS Care Insolvency

• LBB recommendation was to allocate cost to maintain TRS Care as follows:– 50% to state contribution– 25% to retiree costs– 12.5% to both active members and

employers

This would mean an increase in contributions by school districts from .55% to .73%

101


New: TEA Audits of Special Program Allotments

102


Special Programs

• Beginning Fall 2015• Review of 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14• Will look at 3 year rolling average• Districts chosen based on a risk

assessment by TEA

103


Questions?

104

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