1-1 By: Seaman, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Van de Putte) H.B. No. 660
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2001;
1-3 May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on
1-4 Education; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to career and technology education and training.
1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10 SECTION 1. Section 4.001(b), Education Code, is amended to
1-11 read as follows:
1-12 (b) The objectives of public education are:
1-13 OBJECTIVE 1: Parents will be full partners with educators in
1-14 the education of their children.
1-15 OBJECTIVE 2: Students will be encouraged and challenged to
1-16 meet their full educational potential.
1-17 OBJECTIVE 3: Through enhanced dropout prevention efforts,
1-18 all students will remain in school until they obtain a high school
1-19 diploma.
1-20 OBJECTIVE 4: A well-balanced and appropriate curriculum will
1-21 be provided to all students.
1-22 OBJECTIVE 5: Qualified and highly effective personnel will
1-23 be recruited, developed, and retained.
1-24 OBJECTIVE 6: The state's students will demonstrate exemplary
1-25 performance in comparison to national and international standards.
1-26 OBJECTIVE 7: School campuses will maintain a safe and
1-27 disciplined environment conducive to student learning.
1-28 OBJECTIVE 8: Educators will keep abreast of the development
1-29 of creative and innovative techniques in instruction and
1-30 administration using those techniques as appropriate to improve
1-31 student learning.
1-32 OBJECTIVE 9: Technology will be implemented and used to
1-33 increase the effectiveness of student learning, instructional
1-34 management, staff development, and administration.
1-35 OBJECTIVE 10: School districts will offer programs of study
1-36 for broad career concentrations in areas of agriculture science
1-37 technology, arts and communication, business education, family and
1-38 consumer science, health occupations technology, trade and
1-39 industry, and technology education that will prepare students for
1-40 continued learning and postsecondary education in employment
1-41 settings.
1-42 SECTION 2. Section 11.251(b), Education Code, is amended to
1-43 read as follows:
1-44 (b) The board shall adopt a policy to establish a
1-45 district- and campus-level planning and decision-making process
1-46 that will involve the professional staff of the district, parents,
1-47 and community members in establishing and reviewing the district's
1-48 and campuses' educational plans, goals, performance objectives, and
1-49 major classroom instructional programs. The board shall establish
1-50 a procedure under which meetings are held regularly by
1-51 district- and campus-level planning and decision-making committees
1-52 that include representative professional staff, parents of students
1-53 enrolled in the district, business and industry representatives,
1-54 and community members. The committees shall include a business and
1-55 industry representative [representatives,] without regard to
1-56 whether the [a business] representative resides in the district or
1-57 whether the business or industry the person represents is located
1-58 in the district. The board, or the board's designee, shall
1-59 periodically meet with the district-level committee to review the
1-60 district-level committee's deliberations.
1-61 SECTION 3. Section 28.002(d), Education Code, is amended to
1-62 read as follows:
1-63 (d) The State Board of Education, after consulting with
1-64 educators, parents, business and industry representatives, and
2-1 employers, shall by rule identify the essential knowledge and
2-2 skills of each subject of the enrichment curriculum that all
2-3 students should be able to demonstrate. Each district shall use
2-4 the essential knowledge and skills identified by the board as
2-5 guidelines in providing instruction in the enrichment curriculum.
2-6 Each district may include in the career and technology education
2-7 curriculum required under Subsection (a)(2)(F) instruction in
2-8 career awareness as provided by this subsection and by State Board
2-9 of Education rule. A district is not required to develop a new
2-10 course or purchase additional textbooks in providing instruction in
2-11 career awareness under this subsection. Any instruction in career
2-12 awareness provided to students at the middle or junior high school
2-13 level must:
2-14 (1) emphasize the manner in which the academic
2-15 curriculum is relevant to career goals;
2-16 (2) enable each student to develop preliminary
2-17 educational and career objectives based on the student's interests
2-18 and career goals;
2-19 (3) enable each student to develop a high school
2-20 graduation plan that includes the academic and career and
2-21 technology courses and the sequence of those courses that the
2-22 student should take to achieve educational and career goals; and
2-23 (4) ensure that each student's choices of academic and
2-24 career and technology courses will:
2-25 (A) permit the student to achieve the student's
2-26 postsecondary education and career goals; and
2-27 (B) provide the student with the education and
2-28 skills necessary to meet or exceed business or industry standards.
2-29 SECTION 4. Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
2-30 amended by adding Section 29.1821 to read as follows:
2-31 Sec. 29.1821. CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION ADVISORY
2-32 BOARD. (a) The Career and Technology Education Advisory Board
2-33 consists of nine members appointed by the commissioner.
2-34 (b) The board must include:
2-35 (1) one representative from the agency;
2-36 (2) one representative from the Texas Workforce
2-37 Commission;
2-38 (3) two members who represent the business and
2-39 industry community;
2-40 (4) three members who represent educators,
2-41 administrators, or parents; and
2-42 (5) two members who represent institutions of higher
2-43 education.
2-44 (c) A member of the board serves at the pleasure of the
2-45 commissioner.
2-46 (d) A member of the board may not:
2-47 (1) receive compensation for service on the board; or
2-48 (2) be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred while
2-49 conducting the business of the board.
2-50 (e) The board shall:
2-51 (1) assist the agency in developing the state plan for
2-52 career and technology education required under Section 29.182; and
2-53 (2) on request, assist school districts in developing
2-54 career and technology programs under this subchapter.
2-55 SECTION 5. Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
2-56 amended by adding Section 29.187 to read as follows:
2-57 Sec. 29.187. AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT IN CAREER
2-58 AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION; PROGRAM. (a) In addition to the
2-59 authority granted under Section 29.183, the board of trustees of a
2-60 school district may develop and offer a program under which a
2-61 student may:
2-62 (1) receive specific education in a career and
2-63 technology profession that:
2-64 (A) leads to postsecondary education; or
2-65 (B) meets or exceeds business or industry
2-66 standards; and
2-67 (2) obtain from the district an award for
2-68 distinguished achievement in career and technology education and a
2-69 stamp or other notation on the student's transcript that indicates
3-1 receipt of the award.
3-2 (b) An award granted under this section is not in lieu of a
3-3 diploma or certificate of coursework completion issued under
3-4 Section 28.025.
3-5 (c) In developing a program under this section, the board of
3-6 trustees of a school district shall consider the state plan for
3-7 career and technology education required under Section 29.182.
3-8 (d) The board of trustees of a school district may contract
3-9 with an entity listed in Section 29.184(a) for assistance in
3-10 developing the program or providing instruction to district
3-11 students participating in the program.
3-12 (e) The board of trustees of a school district may also
3-13 contract with a local business or a local institution of higher
3-14 education for assistance in developing or operating a program under
3-15 this section. A program may provide education in areas of
3-16 technology unique to the local area.
3-17 (f) The board of trustees of a school district may provide
3-18 insurance to protect a business that contracts with the district
3-19 under Subsection (e) against liability for a bodily injury
3-20 sustained by or the death of a district student while working for
3-21 the business as part of a program established under this section.
3-22 The amount of insurance the district provides must be reasonable
3-23 considering the financial condition of the district. The insurance
3-24 must be:
3-25 (1) obtained from a reliable insurer authorized to
3-26 engage in business in the state; and
3-27 (2) submitted on a form approved by the commissioner
3-28 of insurance.
3-29 (g) The board of trustees of a school district must submit a
3-30 proposed program under this section to the commissioner in
3-31 accordance with criteria established by the commissioner.
3-32 SECTION 6. Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
3-33 amended by adding Section 29.188 to read as follows:
3-34 Sec. 29.188. RECOGNITION OF SUCCESSFUL CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY
3-35 EDUCATION PROGRAM. The governor is encouraged to present a
3-36 proclamation or certificate to each member of the business and
3-37 industry community that the Texas Workforce Commission, in
3-38 cooperation with the agency, determines has successfully assisted
3-39 in the provision of a career and technology education program under
3-40 this subchapter.
3-41 SECTION 7. Section 61.077(b), Education Code, is amended to
3-42 read as follows:
3-43 (b) The purposes of this committee shall include the
3-44 following:
3-45 (1) to advise the two boards on the coordination of
3-46 postsecondary career and technology education and the articulation
3-47 between postsecondary career and technology education and secondary
3-48 career and technology education;
3-49 (2) to facilitate the transfer of responsibilities for
3-50 the administration of postsecondary career and technology education
3-51 from the State Board of Education to the board in accordance with
3-52 Section 111(a)(I) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act,
3-53 Public Law 98-524;
3-54 (3) to cooperate with [advise] the Career and
3-55 Technology Education Advisory Board, the commissioner of higher
3-56 education, and the State Board of Education, when it acts as the
3-57 State Board for Career and Technology Education, on the following:
3-58 (A) the transfer of federal funds to the board
3-59 for allotment to eligible public postsecondary institutions of
3-60 higher education;
3-61 (B) the career and technology education funding
3-62 for projects and institutions as determined by the board when the
3-63 State Board for Career and Technology Education is required by
3-64 federal law to endorse such determinations;
3-65 (C) the development and updating of the state
3-66 plan for career and technology education and the evaluation of
3-67 programs, services, and activities of postsecondary career and
3-68 technology education and such amendments to the state plan for
3-69 career and technology education as may relate to postsecondary
4-1 education;
4-2 (D) other matters related to postsecondary
4-3 career and technology education; and
4-4 (E) the coordination of curricula, instructional
4-5 programs, research, and other functions as appropriate, including
4-6 areas listed in Section 61.076 of this code, school-to-work and
4-7 school-to-college transition programs, and professional development
4-8 activities; and
4-9 (4) to advise the Council on Workforce and Economic
4-10 Competitiveness on educational policy issues related to workforce
4-11 preparation.
4-12 SECTION 8. Section 41.123, Education Code, is amended to
4-13 read as follows:
4-14 Sec. 41.123. WADA COUNT. For purposes of Chapter 42,
4-15 students served under an agreement under this subchapter are
4-16 counted only in the weighted average daily attendance of the
4-17 district providing the services, except that students served under
4-18 an agreement authorized by Section 41.125 are counted in a manner
4-19 determined by the commissioner.
4-20 SECTION 9. Subchapter E, Chapter 41, Education Code, is
4-21 amended by adding Section 41.125 to read as follows:
4-22 Sec. 41.125. CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION PROGRAMS. (a)
4-23 The board of trustees of a school district with a wealth per
4-24 student that exceeds the equalized wealth level may reduce the
4-25 district's wealth per student by executing an agreement to provide
4-26 students of one or more other districts with career and technology
4-27 education through a program designated as an area program for
4-28 career and technology education.
4-29 (b) The agreement is not effective unless the commissioner
4-30 certifies that:
4-31 (1) implementation of the agreement will not result in
4-32 any of the affected districts' wealth per student being greater
4-33 than the equalized wealth level; and
4-34 (2) the agreement requires the district with a wealth
4-35 per student that exceeds the equalized wealth level to make
4-36 expenditures benefiting students from other districts in an amount
4-37 at least equal to the amount that would be required for the
4-38 district to purchase the number of attendance credits under
4-39 Subchapter D necessary, in combination with any other actions taken
4-40 under this chapter other than an action under this section, to
4-41 reduce the district's wealth per student to a level that is equal
4-42 to or less than the equalized wealth level.
4-43 (c) The board of trustees of the school district shall
4-44 obtain voter approval of the agreement in the manner provided by
4-45 Section 41.122, except that the ballot shall be printed to permit
4-46 voting for or against the proposition: "Authorizing the board of
4-47 trustees of _________ School District to provide career and
4-48 technology education to students of other school districts with
4-49 local tax revenues."
4-50 SECTION 10. Subchapter D, Chapter 301, Labor Code, is amended
4-51 by adding Section 301.0611 to read as follows:
4-52 Sec. 301.0611. COORDINATION OF CERTAIN AWARDS AND
4-53 INCENTIVES. The commission, in cooperation with the Texas Education
4-54 Agency, the comptroller, and the Texas Higher Education
4-55 Coordinating Board, shall prepare and make available to the public
4-56 a list of all awards and incentives available for business
4-57 participation in:
4-58 (1) a school district's career and technology
4-59 education program under Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code;
4-60 or
4-61 (2) any other career and technology education
4-62 training.
4-63 SECTION 11. Section 481.156(a), Government Code, is amended
4-64 to read as follows:
4-65 (a) The following may apply for a grant under this
4-66 subchapter:
4-67 (1) one or more employers to secure training;
4-68 (2) one or more employers acting in partnership with
4-69 an employer organization, labor organization, or community-based
5-1 organization to secure training; [or]
5-2 (3) one or more employers acting in partnership with a
5-3 consortium composed of more than one provider to secure training;
5-4 or
5-5 (4) a provider, to the extent consistent with Section
5-6 481.155.
5-7 SECTION 12. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, except
5-8 that Sections 1, 2, and 5 take effect immediately and apply
5-9 beginning with the 2001-2002 school year if this Act receives a
5-10 vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
5-11 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
5-12 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect,
5-13 Sections 1, 2, and 5 take effect September 1, 2001.
5-14 * * * * *