HB4359 - Relating to the review of school districts by the Sunset Advisory Commission.

      By: Capriglione, et al. (Senate Sponsor - King) H.B. No. 4359          (In the Senate - Received from the House May 16, 2025;   May 21, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on   Education K-16; May 27, 2025, reported favorably by the following   vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 27, 2025, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT     relating to the review of school districts by the Sunset Advisory   Commission.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 325, Government Code, is amended by   adding Section 325.026 to read as follows:           Sec.   325.026.     REVIEW OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS. (a) In this   section, "education service center region" means a geographic   region served by a regional education service center under Chapter   8, Education Code.           (b)     The commission shall review the operations and conduct a   forensic audit of certain independent school districts or   consolidated school districts. The commission shall review two   school districts each review cycle. A school district identified   for review by the commission under this section is subject to the   requirements of this chapter as if it was a state agency but may not   be abolished.           (c)     Not later than October 31 of each odd-numbered year, the   commission shall select an education service center region from   which the school districts to be reviewed will be selected. The   commission shall review the school district within the selected   region that has the lowest instructional spending per student and   the school district within the selected region that has the highest   instructional spending per student according to the most recent   information reported to the Texas Education Agency.           (d)     Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the   commission shall prepare a report identifying areas of each   district's operations that do not effectively or efficiently use   the district's funds and that detract from instructional spending   and make recommendations to address its findings. The commission's   review may also include recommendations related to the district's   governance, management, operating structure, and compliance with   legislative requirements.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.     * * * * *