SRC-MAX S.B. 1221 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1221
By: Luna
Education
4-12-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Due to the recodification of the Education Code, the paperwork limitation
statute that had been in law for a decade was deleted.  This statute
reduced the amount of paperwork teachers were required to complete.   This
bill reenacts certain paperwork reduction standards and shifts the
administration of this program from the State Board of Education to the
Commissioner of Education.    

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1221 restricts the number of written reports required
from public school employees. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the board of trustees of each school
district in SECTION 2 (Sec. 21.410, Education Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 7.055, Education Code, by adding Subsection (c),
to require the commissioner of education (commissioner) to prescribe a
uniform system of forms, reports, and records, under Subsection (a)(4) in
a manner that provides for simplifying and reducing the number and length
of the written reports the agency requires from school districts and
school district employees. 

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 7C, Education Code, by adding Section 7.058, as
follows: 

Sec.  7.058.  REVIEW OF WRITTEN REPORTS.   Requires the commissioner,
biennially, to conduct a comprehensive review of all the written reports
required from school districts and school district employees in an effort
to reduce the number and length of reports. Requires the commissioner to
report to the legislature the number of written reports required of school
districts and school district employees, the length of each of those
reports, and any effort made to reduce reporting requirements.   

SECTION 3. Amends Chapter 21I, Education Code, by adding Section 21.410,
as follows: 

Sec.  21.410.  RESTRICTING WRITTEN REPORTS.  Requires the board of
trustees of each school district to adopt a policy to limit the number and
length of written reports that a classroom teacher is required to prepare.
Prohibits a classroom teacher from being required to prepare certain
written reports.   

SECTION 4. Provides that SECTION 3 of this Act applies beginning with the
1997-1998 school year. 

SECTION 5. Emergency clause.
  Effective date:  upon passage.