Texas Senate Bill SB1708

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Relating to a pilot program to provide additional funding to a school district to improve the performance of certain campuses under the accountability system.

Impact

By implementing this pilot program, SB1708 is designed to address the needs of schools situated in municipalities or counties with a higher prevalence of open-enrollment charter schools. The additional state aid allocated to participating districts can only be utilized for efforts that directly relate to the campus improvement plans. This targeted financial support aims to facilitate significant improvements in educational quality and student performance metrics on the concerned campuses.

Summary

SB1708 is a legislative proposal aimed at enhancing educational outcomes through a pilot program that provides additional funding to school districts with campuses that are struggling under the state's accountability system. Specifically, the bill establishes a framework for the commissioner of education to select up to 12 school districts each state fiscal biennium that have campuses rated as needing improvement or unacceptable. These districts can apply for this program by submitting a detailed campus improvement plan that outlines strategies and goals for enhancing academic performance.

Contention

While SB1708 presents a potentially beneficial approach to support underperforming schools, concerns may arise regarding the fairness of resource allocation among various school districts, especially those with different needs and circumstances. The fact that districts located in areas with more charter schools are prioritized raises questions about equity in funding. Additionally, there could be skepticism about the effectiveness of pilot programs in yielding sustainable improvements beyond the state aid period, leading to debates over the long-term sustainability of such initiatives.