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House Bill 2610 Funding Implications for the 2016–2017 School Year (2nd Notice)

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ACTION REQUIRED

February 1, 2017

TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED (TAA):

Subject: House Bill 2610 Funding Implications for the 2016–2017 school year (2nd Notice)

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER

  • Starting with the current school year (2016–2017), funding will be reduced for campuses reporting minutes of operation with less than 75,600 minutes.
      
  • Check your calendars before the school year ends to make sure your campuses reach at least 75,600 minutes by the end of the current school year (2016–2017).
      
  • The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will not know which campuses fell short of meeting 75,600 minutes until after the summer TSDS/PEIMS submission.
      
  • One-time waivers for prekindergarten and dropout recovery campuses (charters, alternative education programs (AEP), and disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEP)) expire at the end of current school year (2016–2017).
 


The 84th Legislature amended Texas Education Code (TEC), §25.081, and created TEC, §25.0812, to move from a school year requiring districts to provide 180 days of instruction to a school year requiring districts to provide 75,600 minutes of instruction. This TAA addresses funding for the 2016–2017 school year only. Local education agencies should consult their own legal counsel for additional legal consideration that may apply resulting from this legislation.

Funding

  • Except for half-day prekindergarten programs, Foundation School Program (FSP) funding will be proportionately reduced for attendance generated on any campus that does not meet the required 75,600 minutes of operation for the school year without an approved waiver from the TEA. This funding reduction will be based on your submitted campus calendars.  
      
  • If your district or charter school has applied for and received approval for waived minutes of instruction, then the sum of operational and waiver minutes must be at least 75,600.
      
  • Direct questions related to the state funding implications of this mandate to Al McKenzie, Director of State Funding, at (512) 463-9238 or at Al.McKenzie@tea.texas.gov.

Funding

  • For a student to be eligible for full-day funding, the student must be offered and provided at least 240 minutes of instruction (classroom) time.
      
  • For a student to be eligible for half-day funding, the student must be offered and provided at least 120 minutes of instruction (classroom) time.
      
  • There is no change to the way student attendance is taken.
      
  • The Student Attendance Accounting Handbook has been updated and can be found at http://tea.texas.gov/index2.aspx?id=25769817607.
      
  • Direct questions related to student attendance accounting to Chanda Williams at(512) 475-2012 or Yolanda Walker at (512) 463-0947 or at attendance@tea.texas.gov.

Waivers

  • School districts must provide 75,600 minutes of operation beginning with the 2016–2017 school year.
      
  • Dropout recovery campuses (charters, AEP, and DAEP) operating with less than 75,600 minutes in prior years (and continuing with the same number of operational minutes in 2016–2017) will need to apply for a one-time waiver for the 2016–2017 school year to receive full funding.
      
  • Half-day prekindergarten programs operating with less than 37,800 minutes in prior years (and continuing with the same number of operational minutes in 2016–2017) will automatically be granted a one-time waiver for the 2016–2017 school year and will receive full prekindergarten funding based on a minimum of 120 minutes of classroom time per day.
      
  • Documentation related to the granting of waivers associated with charter schools, AEP, DAEP, and prekindergarten can be found at http://tea.texas.gov/WorkArea/linkit.aspx?LinkIdentifier=id&ItemID=25769825239&libID=257 .
      
  • Direct questions related to waivers to Leah Martin, Director of Accreditation & School Improvement, at (512) 463-8597 or at Leah.Martin@tea.texas.gov.

Calendar Reporting

  • Beginning with the 2016–2017 school year, districts and charter schools are required to submit calendars for all campuses to the TEA demonstrating compliance with the new statute. This submission will take place as part of the third Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) submission due June 22, 2017.
      
  • Documentation on the submission requirements for campus calendars can be found at http://castro.tea.state.tx.us/tsds/teds/2017A/teds-ds2.1.pdf .
      
  • Calendar data will be reported using the Reporting Period Extension and Calendar Date Extension complex types. 
      
  • Direct questions related to data submissions through the TSDS Incident Management System (TIMS) or to TSDSCustomerSupport@tea.texas.gov.


Regards,

 

Leo Lopez, RTSBA
Associate Commissioner for School Finance / Chief School Finance Officer

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