SB 2824
Middleton Bill Hands Charter, Private Schools First Bids On Unused Buildings
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Carve-out
THE TEXT
…“the board of trustees may only accept offers from a public school district, open-enrollment charter school, or private school.”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
Under a neutral caption about facility sales, the text gives charter and private schools an exclusive 90-day window and a right to match outside offers on public school buildings. The caption does not mention who gets this priority.
Carve-outInitial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to the sale, lease, or use of an unused or underused school district facility.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
A 90-day exclusive window, then 14 days to match any better outside offer.
The bill changes the rules for how a Texas school district sells, leases, or lends out a building it is not using or barely using. Any public school district, charter school, or approved private school anywhere in the state gets the first 90 days to bid, and the district must take the best bid that meets or beats a recent appraisal. If the district later accepts a better outside offer, those schools get 14 days to match it, and the old line saying districts never have to accept a charter school's offer is deleted.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the Senate Education K-16 committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB2824 · 2025-03-14
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the sale, lease, or use of an unused or underused school district facility.
WHAT IT DOES
A 90-day exclusive window, then 14 days to match any better outside offer.
The bill changes the rules for how a Texas school district sells, leases, or lends out a building it is not using or barely using. Any public school district, charter school, or approved private school anywhere in the state gets the first 90 days to bid, and the district must take the best bid that meets or beats a recent appraisal. If the district later accepts a better outside offer, those schools get 14 days to match it, and the old line saying districts never have to accept a charter school's offer is deleted.
CHARGES
[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 50%
THE TEXT
…“the board of trustees may only accept offers from a public school district, open-enrollment charter school, or private school.”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
Under a neutral caption about facility sales, the text gives charter and private schools an exclusive 90-day window and a right to match outside offers on public school buildings. The caption does not mention who gets this priority.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Education K-16
FILED UNDER
THE TEXT
…“the board of trustees may only accept offers from a public school district, open-enrollment charter school, or private school.”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
Private schools get first claim on unused public school buildings, ahead of the general public.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 6, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$1,140,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$1,140,000.00
- Cash
- $1,140,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $1,140,000.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$1,140,000.00
- Cash
- $1,140,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $1,140,000.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Mar 14, 2025
04/07/2025 S Referred to Education K-16
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
HB 5312 by Troxclair (identical)
Subjects
Education--Primary & Secondary--Facilities
Education--School Districts
Text
The text as introduced · 391 words
By: Middleton S.B. No. 2824 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the sale, lease, or use of an unused or underused school district facility. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 11.1542, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 11.1542. [ OPEN-ENROLLMENT CHARTER SCHOOL ] OFFER FOR DISTRICT FACILITY. (a) The board of trustees of an independent school district that intends to sell, lease, or allow use for a purpose other than a district purpose of an unused or underused district facility must give [ each ] any public school district, open-enrollment charter school , or private school approved to operate in this state [ located wholly or partly within the boundaries of the district ] the opportunity to make an offer to purchase, lease, or use the facility, as applicable, in response to any terms established by the board of trustees, before offering the facility for sale or lease or to any other specific entity. (b) Before selling or leasing a district facility, the board of trustees of an independent school district must obtain an appraisal report for the facility dated within 12 months of the date the board offers the facility for sale or lease. (c) During the first 90 days a facility is offered for sale or lease, the board of trustees may only accept offers from a public school district, open-enrollment charter school, or private school. The board of trustees must accept the best offer that meets or exceeds the appraised value of the facility. (d) If no qualifying offers are received during the first 90 days, the board of trustees may offer the facility for sale or lease to the general public. (e) If the board of trustees accepts an offer under subsection (d), the board must: (1) provide each public school district, open-enrollment charter school, or private school that submitted an offer under subsection (c) 14 days to submit a revised offer matching or exceeding the selected offer's material financial terms, including price and payment terms; and (2) accept the best revised offer submitted under subsection (e) (1). [ (b) This section does not require the board of trustees of a school district to accept an offer made by an open-enrollment charter school. ] SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.