TO THE CHAPTER 41 ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:
Subject: Senate Bill 4 Implementation
As you are aware, Senate Bill 4 as passed by the 76th Session of the Texas Legislature changed how wealth per student was determined for Chapter 41 purposes relative to how resident students were counted.
This particular provision of Senate Bill 4 will not be implemented for the 1999-2000 school year unless it benefits a district. A district's wealth per student under TEC Section 41.001(3) may be computed under the provisions of Senate Bill 4 or the law as it existed prior to that legislation.
Please be advised that this implementation is only for this one year and does not apply to any other provision in Senate Bill 4. When districts are notified whether or not they will be subject to the provisions of Chapter 41 for the 2000-2001 school year in July 2000, wealth per student will include only students who are educated by the district. The district should take this year to plan accordingly.
Districts that wish to continue with plans for an election under TEC Section 41.096 or 41.122 may execute contracts and proceed with those elections based on the agency's July 15, 1999 notification.
Please understand that this delay should give you sufficient time to plan for the effect this provision of Senate Bill 4 may have on your district, and that this delay is being done within the spirit of the bill.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
Mike Moses Commissioner of Education
For further information on this topic, contact State Funding at sfinance@tea.state.tx.us or (512)463-9238