June-July 2020 Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund Item 1
Per Capita Apportionment Rate for the 2019-2020 School Year
July 1, 2020
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL FINANCE/PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: A per capita apportionment rate for each school year is set based on an estimate of the amount available for expenditure from the Available School Fund. A preliminary 2019–2020 per capita apportionment rate of $ $259.207 was set in September 2019. A final per capita apportionment rate is set by the commissioner of education based on actual funds available for expenditure. Agency staff will present the final rate for the 2019–2020 school year at the June meeting of the Committee on School Finance/ Permanent School Fund.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §48.004, §48.251(c), and §43.001(b).
TEC, §48.004, requires the commissioner to implement and administer the Foundation School Program.
TEC, §48.251(c), requires the Foundation School Program to be financed with state available school funds distributed in accordance with the law.
TEC, §43.001(b), describes the appropriations that make up the Available School Fund.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: A preliminary 2019–2020 per capita apportionment rate of $259.207 was established in September 2019.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: House Bill (HB) 1, the General Appropriations Bill enacted by the 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, contains an estimate of the amount that will be available for expenditures from the Available School Fund for the 2019-2020 school year. The per capita apportionment will include distributions from the Permanent School Fund and funds from state occupation taxes and from the Motor Fuels Tax. The preliminary per capita apportionment rate set by the commissioner of education is based on an estimate of the funds available for expenditure. A final rate is established later in the school year by the commissioner based on actual funds available for expenditure.
FISCAL IMPACT: The per capita apportionment rate finances part of the cost of the Foundation School Program. State aid comes from the Available School Fund and the Foundation School Fund. The per capita apportionment rate determines how much of each district's total state aid is paid from the Available School Fund. The part that is not financed by the Available School Fund must be paid from the Foundation School Fund.
Staff Members Responsible:
Leo Lopez, Associate Commissioner, School Finance
Amy Copeland, Director, State Funding
Separate Exhibit: Final Per Capita Rate for 2019-2020
(to be provided at the June 2020 SBOE meeting)