BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 2610 84R18343 MK-D By: King, Ken et al. (Larry, Taylor) Education 5/17/2015 Engrossed
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 2610
84R18343 MK-D By: King, Ken et al. (Larry, Taylor)
Education
5/17/2015
Engrossed
Senate Research Center
H.B. 2610
84R18343 MK-D
By: King, Ken et al. (Larry, Taylor)
Education
5/17/2015
Engrossed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT There are certain occurrences, such as inclement weather, that require a school district to close schools. Currently, a school district is required to provide instruction on a specified minimum number of days, so when a district closes schools on one or more days for such reasons and therefore does not provide instruction on those days, the district is required to make up for those missed days. Sometimes, a district is forced to extend the school year into the summer in order to meet the current requirement. H.B. 2610 seeks to allow a school district flexibility in providing the required amount of instruction. H.B. 2610 amends current law relating to the minimum number of minutes of instruction for students to be provided by public school districts and the scheduling of the last day of school for students by public school districts. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 (Section 25.081, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.081, Education Code, as follows: Sec. 25.081. OPERATION OF SCHOOLS. (a) Provides that, except as authorized under Subsection (b) of this section, Section 25.084 (Year-Round System), or Section 29.0821 (Optional Flexible Year Program), for each school year each school district must operate so that the district provides for at least 75,600 minutes of instruction, rather than 180 days, of instruction, including intermissions and recesses, for students. (b) Authorizes the commissioner of education (commissioner) to approve the instruction of students for fewer than the number of minutes, rather than days, required under Subsection (a) if disaster, flood, extreme weather conditions, fuel curtailment, or another calamity causes the closing of schools. (c) Authorizes a school district, if the commissioner does not approve reduced instruction time under Subsection (b), to add additional minutes to the end of the district's normal school hours as necessary to compensate for minutes of instruction lost due to school closures caused by disaster, flood, extreme weather conditions, fuel curtailment, or another calamity. (d) Authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules for the application, on the basis of the minimum minutes of instruction required by Subsection (a), of any provision of this title that refers to a minimum number of days of instruction under this section. (e) Provide that, for purposes of this code, a reference to a day of instruction means 420 minutes of instruction. SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code by adding Section 25.0812, as follows: Sec. 25.0812. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. (a) Prohibits a school district, except as provided by Subsection (b), from scheduling the last day of school for students for a school year before May 15. (b) Authorizes a school district that does not offer each grade level from kindergarten through grade 12 and whose prospective or former students generally attend school in another state for the grade levels the district does not offer, notwithstanding Subsection (a), to schedule the last day of school on any date permitted under Subsection (a) or the law of the other state. SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year. SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
There are certain occurrences, such as inclement weather, that require a school district to close schools. Currently, a school district is required to provide instruction on a specified minimum number of days, so when a district closes schools on one or more days for such reasons and therefore does not provide instruction on those days, the district is required to make up for those missed days. Sometimes, a district is forced to extend the school year into the summer in order to meet the current requirement. H.B. 2610 seeks to allow a school district flexibility in providing the required amount of instruction.
H.B. 2610 amends current law relating to the minimum number of minutes of instruction for students to be provided by public school districts and the scheduling of the last day of school for students by public school districts.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 (Section 25.081, Education Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 25.081, Education Code, as follows:
Sec. 25.081. OPERATION OF SCHOOLS. (a) Provides that, except as authorized under Subsection (b) of this section, Section 25.084 (Year-Round System), or Section 29.0821 (Optional Flexible Year Program), for each school year each school district must operate so that the district provides for at least 75,600 minutes of instruction, rather than 180 days, of instruction, including intermissions and recesses, for students.
(b) Authorizes the commissioner of education (commissioner) to approve the instruction of students for fewer than the number of minutes, rather than days, required under Subsection (a) if disaster, flood, extreme weather conditions, fuel curtailment, or another calamity causes the closing of schools.
(c) Authorizes a school district, if the commissioner does not approve reduced instruction time under Subsection (b), to add additional minutes to the end of the district's normal school hours as necessary to compensate for minutes of instruction lost due to school closures caused by disaster, flood, extreme weather conditions, fuel curtailment, or another calamity.
(d) Authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules for the application, on the basis of the minimum minutes of instruction required by Subsection (a), of any provision of this title that refers to a minimum number of days of instruction under this section.
(e) Provide that, for purposes of this code, a reference to a day of instruction means 420 minutes of instruction.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Education Code by adding Section 25.0812, as follows:
Sec. 25.0812. LAST DAY OF SCHOOL. (a) Prohibits a school district, except as provided by Subsection (b), from scheduling the last day of school for students for a school year before May 15.
(b) Authorizes a school district that does not offer each grade level from kindergarten through grade 12 and whose prospective or former students generally attend school in another state for the grade levels the district does not offer, notwithstanding Subsection (a), to schedule the last day of school on any date permitted under Subsection (a) or the law of the other state.
SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.
SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.