Texas House Bill HB1805

Texas 2011 - 82nd Regular

• Out of House Committee: 4/20/11
• Introduced: 2/24/11
• Voted on by House: 5/4/11
• Refer: 3/3/11
• Report Pass: 4/19/11
• Engrossed: 5/4/11
• Refer: 5/5/11

Caption

Relating to a public school student's eligibility for a public education grant to attend another public school.

Impact

The implementation of HB1805 would have significant implications for the Texas Education Code, particularly regarding how public schools are rated and how students are assigned to schools. By allowing students to transfer based on specific performance benchmarks, the bill could increase competition among schools to improve their performance ratings. This could, in turn, foster an environment where schools are incentivized to enhance educational outcomes, addressing the needs of students currently attending lower-performing institutions.

Summary

House Bill 1805 aims to modify the eligibility criteria for public education grants, allowing students to transfer to other public schools within their district based on performance metrics. Specifically, it stipulates that a student may qualify for a public education grant to attend another public school if they are assigned to a campus where 50% or more of the students have not performed satisfactorily on designated assessment instruments, or if the school has been rated as having unacceptable performance in any of the previous two years. This proposal seeks to enhance educational opportunity and ensure students have access to better-performing schools.

Contention

While proponents of HB1805 argue that it empowers families by providing them with more options for their children's education, some critics have expressed concerns about its potential unintended consequences. There are worries that the bill could exacerbate inequalities in the education system by enabling more privileged families to leave underperforming schools, thus further reducing resources and support for those schools. As the legislation advances, advocacy groups may raise debates about ensuring that all students have equitable access to quality education, regardless of their school's performance ratings.