Per Capita Apportionment Rate for the 2016-2017 School Year

June 23, 2017

COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL FINANCE/PERMANENT SCHOOL FUND: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: CONSENT

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 board adopted a preliminary 2016-2017 per capita apportionment rate of $390.186 in September 2016. Agency staff members will propose a recommended revised rate of $390.300 for the 2016-2017 school year at the June 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 preliminary 2016-2017 per capita apportionment rate of $390.186 in September 2016.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: House Bill 1, the General Appropriations Bill enacted by the 84th Texas Legislature, 2015, contains an estimate of the amount that will be available for expenditures from the Available School Fund for the 2016-2017 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 preliminary per capita apportionment rate is based on an estimate of the funds available for expenditure. The rate is revised later in the school year 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.

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.

OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: None.

Staff Members Responsible:
Kara Belew, Deputy Commissioner
Finance and Administration

Al McKenzie, Director
State Funding

Attachment:
2016-2017 Proposed Per Capita Rate (PDF, 88KB)