UNFUNDED STATE MANDATES

Since the Education Code was rewritten in 1995, the Texas Legislature has passed
many rules, regulations and laws that require specific actions on the part of I
ndependent School District. The items listed below are divided into specific ar
eas and address only those that were not funded by the Legislature:

Curriculum:

Daily Exercise and Coordinated Health Program; 2001

Recommended Curriculum; 2001
Accelerated Instruction for At Risk Students; 1995 2001
Accelerated Instruction for Unsatisfactory Performance on Reading and Math
TAAS/TAKS; 1999
Counselor & Guidance Programs; 2001
Safe Schools: Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs; 1995, 2001
Special Licensing or Certification for AEP s; 1999, 2001
Public Education Grant Program; 1995, 1997
Enrollment in Higher Education; 2001
Associated with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 1996, 20
01
Assessment Instruments; 1997, 1999, 2001
Credit by Examination; 1995

Employee Relations:

The Duty-Free Lunch for Librarians; 1995

Independent Hearing Examiner Hearings; 1995
Bloodborne Pathogen Control Law; 1999
Staff Development; 1995, 1996, 2001
Minimum Personal Leave Program; 1995, 1997
Jury Duty Leave; 1999
Assault Leave; 2001
Health Insurance; 1997, 2001 (Partially Funded)
State Minimum Teacher Salary Schedule (Increases) 1995, 1997,1999,2001
TRS Contributions; 1997
Minimum Wage for Election Workers, Judges, and Clerks; 2001

Governance

Site-Based Decision Making; 1995

Local School Health Education Advisory Council; 1995, 2001
District and Campus Improvement Plans; 1995, 1999
Gifted and Talented Identification Process; 1995
Paperwork Reduction; 1997
Minimum Number of Days of Service; 1995, 1999
Public Funds Investment Act; 1995
Tax Liens; 1997
Students Living on Military Bases; 2001
Access to Persons with Disabilities; 2001
Asbestos Removal; 2001
Lead Abatement; 1997
Natural Gas and Liquefied Petroleum Piping Systems; 1997, 2001
Pest Control; 1997
Design-Build Contracts; 2001

Reporting Requirements (Local)

Annual Performance Report, Notice, and Hearing Academic Excellence

Indicator System (AEIS) Report; 1999, 2001
Financial Accountability System Report, Notice, and Hearing; 2001
Tax Rate Notices; 1999
Voting Rights Notice; 2001
Notification to district personnel of the arrest or detention of a student; 1997
Campus Report Card & School District Report Card; 1995, 1999
Uncertified Teachers-Parent Notification; 1999
Academic Difficulties-Parent Notification; 1999
Dyslexia-Parent Notification; 1999
Class-Size Limit Waivers-Parent Notification; 2001
Truancy Management and Reporting-Parent Notification; 2001
IEP Translation-Parent Notification; 1999
Counselor Responsibilities-Parent Notification; 1999
Meningitis-Parent Notification; 2001

State Reporting Requirements

Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS); 1995,2001

Annual Audit of Compensatory Education; 2001 (Since has been deleted)
Annual Audit of Drop-out Rate; 2001 (Since has been deleted)
Immunization Records; 1995
Missing Children; 1997, 2001
Open Record Requests; 1997

THE SOLUTION

The State of Texas must provide more of the funds necessary to pay for public ed
ucation. The current financing of 38% local and 62% state should be reversed.
The State should be financing at least 55-60% of the total cost to provide an ex
emplary education to the children of our state.
The current chorus of local property taxes are too high, is a direct result of a l
ack of State participation in public education funding. The State sets the rule
s, passes the mandates, but does not increase funding to pay for them. Local di
stricts, under orders from the State to meet these mandates, must raise local pr
operty taxes to pay for them, and then the Governor blames local districts for t
he rise in property taxes.

The State of Texas must develop a stable system of taxation that guarantees that
everyone contributes equally, that grows with the economy and the public school
population, and provides equity and adequacy for all school districts.

The current system of funding public schools works, but is under-funded by the S
tate. If the state would raise their contribution to the suggested levels, loca
l tax rates could be reduced and fewer, if any, school districts would be requir
ed to share their property taxes with other districts.

Whatever system of funding public education that the Legislature adopts, must ad
dress three basic issues: