BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1087

By: Schwertner

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

State law provides school district-subsidized fees for one industry-based certification (IBC) examination per student and for cybersecurity certification examinations for teachers, which are then reimbursed by the state. However, in a career and technology education (CTE) program of study, a student may earn between one and three IBCs. School districts struggle to fund these additional certifications because CTE programs are limited on flexible operating funds. This results in students and teachers facing financial barriers to earning entry-level certifications that stack within one or multiple programs of study. S.B. 1087 seeks to extend certification examination fee subsidies to all IBC exams taken by applicable students and to all certification examinations related to CTE taken by teachers.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1087 amends the Education Code to remove the cap on the number of subsidies a student may receive for a certification examination to qualify for a license or certificate that is an industry certification under a career and technology education program. The bill expands the certification examinations for which a teacher is entitled to a subsidy upon passing an examination to include any certification examination related to career and technology education. The bill clarifies that the reimbursement from the Texas Education Agency to which a public school district is entitled for a subsidy paid by the district for a student's certification examination is for each certification examination paid by the district.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.