| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Negative | Positive |
No significant fiscal implication to the State.
Local Government
School districts in Cameron County with an early high school graduation program would qualify for an adjustment under the Foundation School Program. For every high school student graduating in accordance with the requirements of the early high school graduation program in the preceding year, a district would receive half-day pre-kindergarten funding for two low-income pre-kindergarten students.
HB 731 would enable certain school districts to receive additional half-day Foundation School Program funding for low-income pre-kidernergarten students. For every high school student who graduates early after three years, the district will receive funding for two low-income pre-k students.
This bill is bracketed for the following independent school districts (ISDs) in Cameron County: Brownsville ISD, Harlingen CISD, La Feria ISD, Los Fresnos CISD, Point Isabel ISD, Rio Hondo ISD, San Benito CISD, Santa Maria ISD, Santa Rosa ISD, and South Texas ISD.
We support the concept of a three-year high school diploma. Allowing students who are able to graduate in three years instead of four is a clear benefit to their individual liberty and has the added benefit of lowering the cost of public education.
Unfortunately, the reduced cost in this case is offset by applying the fourth year savings for three-year graduates to expanded pre-k programs at those schools. We have taken a firm position of opposition to expanding pre-k for a number of reasons which we have articulated in our analysis of HB 4.
Due to the fact that there are offsetting liberty principles at work in this bill we remain neutral on HB 731.
The second chamber sponsor is Senator Lucio.