Per Capita Apportionment Rate for 2011-2012 School Year
September 16, 2011
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL FINANCE/PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: The board is responsible for setting a per capita apportionment rate for each school year based on an estimate of the amount available for expenditures from the Available School Fund. The recommended rate for the 2011-2012 school year will be proposed at the September meeting of the Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code, (TEC) §42.004 and §43.001(b).
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The board adopted a revised 2010-2011 per capita apportionment rate of $466 in July 2011.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: Senate Bill 1, the General Appropriations Bill enacted by the 82nd Texas Legislature, 2011, contains an estimate of the amount that will be available for expenditures from the Available School Fund for the 2011-2012 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 recommended per capita apportionment rate will be based on an estimate of the funds available for expenditure. The rate may be revised later in the school year based on whether voters approve a constitutional amendment that would provide for an increase in the market value of the Permanent School Fund for the purpose of allowing increased distributions from the Available School Fund and based on actual funds available for expenditure.
FISCAL IMPACT: The per capita apportionment rate finances a portion 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 portion that is not financed by the Available School Fund must be paid from the Foundation School Fund.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: State aid for the Foundation School Program is partially funded by the Available School Fund per capita apportionment. If this source of funds were not available, the shortfall would have to be made up from the General Revenue Fund.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.
ALTERNATIVES: None.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: None.
COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that the State Board of Education:
Adopt the recommended per capita apportionment rate for the 2011-2012 school year.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Scott
Commissioner of Education
Staff Members Responsible:
Adam Jones, Deputy Commissioner
Finance and Administration
Shirley Beaulieu, Associate Commissioner
Chief Financial Officer
Lisa Dawn-Fisher, Director, School Finance