bill raises dropout recovery payment from $275 to $500

The text as introduced · 477 words

By: Landgraf
H.B. No. 3622

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain alternative education programs designed for

students at risk of dropping out of school.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 29.0822, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-2) to read as

follows:

(d) The commissioner may adopt rules for the administration

of this section, including rules establishing application

requirements. Subject to Subsection (d-1) and (d-2) , the

commissioner shall calculate average daily attendance for students

served under this section. The commissioner shall allow

accumulations of hours of instruction for students whose schedule

would not otherwise allow full state funding. Funding under this

subsection shall be determined based on the number of instructional

days in the school district calendar and a seven-hour school day,

but attendance may be cumulated over a school year, including any

summer or vacation session. The attendance of students who

accumulate less than the number of attendance hours required under

this subsection shall be proportionately reduced for funding

purposes. The commissioner may:

(1) set maximum funding amounts for an individual

course under this section; and

(2) limit funding for the attendance of a student

described by Subsection (a)(3) in a course under this section to

funding only for the attendance necessary for the student to earn

class credit that, as a result of attendance requirements under

Section 25.092, the student would not otherwise be able to receive

without retaking the class.

(d-2) In calculating average daily attendance for students

served under this section, the commissioner shall not limit the

average daily attendance resulting from the accumulations of hours

of instruction in a particular reporting period, if the annual

average daily attendance accumulated for a school year does not

exceed the equivalent of one student in average daily attendance

with a perfect attendance rate. The commissioner shall only apply a

limitation on average daily attendance resulting from the

accumulations of hours of instruction under this section on an

annual basis.

SECTION 2. Section 48.153, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) A school district or open-enrollment charter school is

entitled to $500 [ $250 ] for each student in average daily

attendance who:

(1) resides in a residential placement facility; [ or ]

(2) is provided services from a private or public

community-based dropout recovery education program or education

management organization while remaining enrolled in their

designated district campus of residence; or

(3) [ (2) ] is at a district or school or a campus of the

district or school that is designated as a dropout recovery school

under Section 39.0548.

(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(2), a private or public

community-based dropout recovery education program or education

management organization is defined in Section 29.081(e), Education

Code.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.