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SPONSOR: |
|
DATE TYPED: |
|
HB |
104 |
||
SHORT TITLE: |
Dropout Prevention Pilot Program |
SB |
|
||||
|
ANALYST: |
L. Baca |
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APPROPRIATION
Appropriation
Contained |
Estimated
Additional Impact |
Recurring or
Non-Rec |
Fund Affected |
||
FY03 |
FY04 |
FY03 |
FY04 |
|
|
|
$246.0 |
|
|
Recurring |
GF |
(Parenthesis
( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Relates
to Appropriation in the General Appropriation Act
Responses
Received From
State
Department of Education (SDE)
SUMMARY
Synopsis
of Bill
House Bill 104
appropriates $246.0 to the State Department of Education from the general fund
for a pilot dropout prevention program at the ten New
Significant
Issues
This bill requires that every high school
teacher participating in the pilot project have a telephone installed in the
classroom that can be used to contact parents when a student fail to attend
class or perform the schoolwork required. The bill also requires that parents
provide both a home and work number so they may be contacted. Experience and
research show that parental involvement in a student’s academic endeavors is a
significant factor in whether a student succeeds and, sometimes, whether a
student remains in school.
DROPOUT RATES BY GROUP,
SY 2000-01
GROUP NUMBER PERCENT
HISPANIC 2,993 6.7
NATIVE AMERICAN 657 5.9
BLACK 111 5.2
ASIAN 27
2.4
OTHER 18 3.0
STATEWIDE
5,095
5.3
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
The appropriation of
$246.0 contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining
at the end of fiscal year 2004 shall revert to the general fund.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
The SDE reports this
bill will increase oversight and accountability responsibilities. In addition, the western part of the state
has multiple telephone companies and will require multiple contracts for
providing services.
OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
The bill provides
funds for installation of the telephones, but no funds are appropriated for the
additional service charges that accrue from the projected use of the
telephones.
For purposes of
clarification, the SDE suggests the sponsor consider amending the bill on page
1, line 25, Section C to read:
The
Department of Education shall contract with an external agency to
install telephones in every classroom in each of the ten public high schools
described in Subsection A of the section.”
1.
Has any estimated the cost of on-going
services for this project?
2.
Will school district be able to afford
the additional costs?
3.
Won’t the presence a telephone in the
classroom become a distraction?
4.
When are teacher supposed to call
parents?
5.
This sounds like a great idea, but have
we considered all costs associated with the project?