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Relating to the adjustment of the average daily attendance of a
school district on the basis of a calamity.
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
SB 1522 would allow the Commissioner of Education, in addition to adjusting the average daily attendance of a school district in certain cases where disaster or extreme weather has occurred, to also make an adjustment to the number of required instructional days during a semester in which a calamity first occurred to be equivalent to an additional one school year, which may be divided between two consecutive school years.
SB 1522 places a cap on the number of days the commissioner of education may adjust instructional days for the purpose of calculating average daily attendance. Currently, no maximum number of days is stipulated in law, SB 1522 would cap it to the semester in which the calamity occurred plus an additional year. While placing such a cap is probably a prudent thing to do, it is concerning that schools could potentially be funded for an entire year, at the same level, while the number of children receiving instruction at the school has declined. Schools have an obligation to be fiscally responsible, and if the number of children receiving instruction in the schools drops, the funding should adjust to reflect that change. Permitting an additional year of funding may be too lenient. Texas Action is neutral on SB 1522.
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