Current through Reg. 49, No. 38; September 20, 2024
(a) Equitable funding formula. As authorized
by the Texas Education Code (TEC), §33.156, the Texas Education Agency
(TEA) shall establish the funding of local Communities In Schools (CIS)
programs in accordance with this section. State and federal funds remaining
after allocations described in subsection (c)(1) of this section shall be
allocated to local CIS programs.
(b) Developing programs.
(1) A developing program may receive a
funding amount each year for a minimum of five years, including the first-year
start-up funding for planning purposes. Priority will be given to developing
programs as funds are allocated.
(2) A developing program that has met all the
requirements for establishing a local CIS program before the fifth year may
request to be considered as a local CIS program for funding determined under
subsection (c)(2) of this section if approved by the TEA.
(c) Allocation.
(1) Annually, after federal and state funds
for the CIS program have been set aside for administration, no more than 10% in
total may be allocated for the following:
(A)
CIS database development and maintenance;
(B) grant opportunities, as applicable, in
accordance with subsection (f) of this section; and
(C) state leadership activities benefitting
local CIS programs in accordance with the TEC, §
33.154.
(2) Local CIS programs shall
receive a funding amount each year to be allocated based on the following
criteria:
(A) an equal base amount of funds,
as determined by the TEA;
(B) no
less than 50% nor more than 80% of the specified funding amount based on the
relative proportion of the number of case-managed students to be served by each
local CIS program to the total number of case-managed students to be served by
all local CIS programs;
(C) no less
than 5.0% nor more than 15% of the specified funding amount based on the
weighted financial resources of the individual communities and school
districts, if less than the average financial resources of all school districts
participating in the program.
(i) Data
elements used for calculation of the financial resources allocation. Weighted
financial resources will be determined using the following data elements from
the most recent school year for which final data are available:
(I) taxable property values determined in
accordance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 403, Subchapter M, for school
districts listed in each program's current grant application;
(II) weighted average daily attendance
(WADA), as reported by the school districts and verified by the TEA, in school
districts listed in each program's current grant application; and
(III) the number of eligible students at the
campus level, as reported by the school districts and verified by the TEA, in
school districts listed in each program's current grant application.
(ii) Method used for calculation
of the weighted financial resources. Weighted financial resources of a local
CIS program are calculated in the following way.
(I) The weighted average taxable property
value per WADA (wealth per WADA) for all local CIS programs is determined by
first multiplying the wealth per WADA for each district within the CIS program
by the district's WADA, summing the results for all districts, and then
dividing the resulting sum by the total WADA in the CIS program.
(II) The average wealth per WADA for all CIS
programs is then calculated.
(III)
A local CIS program with a below-average wealth per WADA receives weighted
financial resources. The weighted financial resources for a local CIS program
with a below-average wealth per WADA are calculated as follows.
(-a-) The weighted eligible students number
is derived by dividing the eligible students number by the ratio of the local
CIS program's wealth per WADA to the average program wealth per WADA.
(-b-) The weighted eligible students numbers
for all programs with a below-average wealth per WADA are summed.
(-c-) The ratio of each individual program's
weighted eligible students to the total weighted eligible students is applied
to the total amount allocated for the financial resources allocation. This
amount forms the program's financial resources allocation.
(3) If a local
CIS program declines to accept allocated grant funds, the TEA may redistribute
grant funding competitively, equally, or based on a formula among participating
local CIS programs.
(d)
CIS program replication and expansion. Should the legislature authorize an
increase in the funds appropriated for the state CIS program or should funds
become available because of loss of program funding or grant revocation, the
TEA may designate an amount of the increase to be reserved for replication
and/or expansion.
(1) Replication. The TEA
may determine and retain a funding amount for replication of the CIS program in
areas of the state that are not served by a participating CIS program.
Replication funds may be made available through a competitive request for
application process or through any other process the TEA deems necessary.
First-year replication funding may be a one-time planning grant for the
development of a business plan.
(2)
Expansion. The TEA may determine and retain a funding amount for expansion of
the CIS program.
(e) CIS
program merger. For purposes of funding, only local CIS programs geographically
adjacent to one another may merge into one CIS program. If two or more local
CIS programs merge into one CIS program, the equal base allotment as determined
in subsection (c)(2)(A) of this section may be allocated to the merged CIS
program for a maximum of two years after the merger takes place. After two
years, the merged CIS program will be considered a single CIS program within
the funding formula and receive one equal base allotment. Local CIS programs
seeking to merge for funding purposes must submit to TEA, prior to the posting
of the subsequent school year's CIS Grant Program Guidelines, a proposed plan
for the merger describing the need for the merger and the local educational
agencies to be served.
(f) Special
initiatives. If the TEA partners or contracts with other agencies or entities
to implement special initiatives, activities, or programs that support dropout
prevention efforts, local CIS programs will have the discretion of whether to
participate in the special initiatives. Selection of local CIS programs for
participation may be determined by the TEA and the partner, or contractor,
depending on the variables of the initiative.
