Sec. 29.203. FINANCING

(a) A student who under this subchapter uses a public education grant to attend a public school in a school district other than the district in which the student resides is included in the average daily attendance of the district in which the student attends school.

(b) A school district is entitled to the allotment provided by Section 42.157 for each eligible student using a public education grant. If the district has a wealth per student greater than the guaranteed wealth level but less than the equalized wealth level, a school district is entitled under rules adopted by the commissioner to additional state aid in an amount equal to the difference between the cost to the district of providing services to a student using a public education grant and the sum of the state aid received because of the allotment under Section 42.157 and money from the available school fund attributable to the student.

(c) A school district is entitled to additional facilities assistance under Section 42.4101 if the district agrees to:

(1) accept a number of students using public education grants that is at least one percent of the district's average daily attendance for the preceding school year; and

(2) provide services to each student until the student either voluntarily decides to attend a school in a different district or graduates from high school.

(d) A school district chosen by a student's parent under Section 29.201 is entitled to accept or reject the application for the student to attend school in that district but may not use criteria that discriminate on the basis of a student's race, ethnicity, academic achievement, athletic abilities, language proficiency, sex, or socioeconomic status. A school district that has more acceptable applicants for attendance under this subchapter than available positions must give priority to students at risk of dropping out of school as defined by Section 29.081 and must fill the available positions by lottery. However, to achieve continuity in education, a school district may give preference over at-risk students to enrolled students and to the siblings of enrolled students residing in the same household or other children residing in the same household as enrolled students for the convenience of parents, guardians, or custodians of those children.

(e) A school district chosen by a student's parent under Section 29.201 may not charge the student tuition.

(f) The school district in which a student resides shall provide each student attending a school in another district under this subchapter transportation free of charge to and from the school the student would otherwise attend.

(g) In this section:

(1) "Equalized wealth level" has the meaning assigned by Section 41.001.

(2) "Guaranteed wealth level" means a wealth per student equal to the dollar amount guaranteed level of state and local funds per weighted student per cent of tax effort, as provided by Section 42.302, multiplied by 10,000.

(3) "Wealth per student" has the meaning assigned by Section 41.001.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 722, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.