The Texas House Public Education Committee has approved a bill that would provide school districts with full funding if they offer virtual learning. Right now, districts that offer online classes to kindergarten through sixth grade lose funding for kids who do not attend classes in person.
SB 15 was passed by the Texas Senate 27-2 two weeks ago. The House Public Education Committee passed the bill 9-1 after a hearing Tuesday.
"Parental demand for off-campus instructional arrangements for health reasons as opposed to educational reasons is growing," Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath told the committee.
The bill would set limits: Districts would have to have shown a 90% attendance rate before the pandemic, no more than ten percent of students could enroll online, schools could require students not meeting academic standards to return in-person and schools would have to have received at least a "C" grade in the most recent accountability testing.
The bill would allow funding for virtual learning through September 2023. Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa told the committee he supports the bill, but it should not have a "sunset" date or other limitations.
"Two years ago, I had a tornado, then we had the pandemic, then we had 'Snowmageddon' and now we have this variant," he said. "If I did not have the flexibility to do what I have to do, how could I run the school district?"
Morath says he would have the authority to waive online enrollment limits.
The Association of Texas Professional Educators opposes the bill, saying the measure would give districts an incentive to continue or expand virtual options, and students do not benefit as much from online classes as in-person.
SB 15 now moves to the full Texas House.
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