C.S.H.B. 242 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 242 By: Seaman Public Education Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND While career opportunities in industry and technology continue to develop in Texas, some school districts are decreasing their budgets for career and technology training programs. The required enrichment curriculum for school districts includes career and technology education, but most schools focus their efforts on preparing students for four year university degrees. Many students seeking employment or post secondary career and technology training after high school may not be fully prepared for this training or employment. Texas has made progress in technology and industrial technology education through the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills program and the 2000-2002 State Plan for Career and Technology Education. PURPOSE The purpose of this bill is to properly prepare those students seeking employment or post secondary career and technology training after high school. C.S.H.B. 242 includes career and technology education in the objectives of public education and sets forth provisions to recognize and expand the importance of career and technology education. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the committee that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board of Education in SECTION 2 (Sec. 28.002, Education Code) in this bill. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 242 amends the Education Code to require the board of trustees of each independent school district (trustee board) to include business representatives in district-level and campus-level planning and decision-making committees. The bill authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules to develop and implement a plan designed to incorporate foundation curriculum requirements into the career and technology education curriculum. The bill authorizes the trustee board to develop and offer a program under which a student may receive specific education in a career and technology profession that provides a rigorous course of study. The bill requires a trustee board to consider the state plan for career and technology education when it is developing its own career and technology education program, and sets forth provisions regarding what entities a board of trustees may contract with for assistance in developing or operating the program. The bill authorizes a program to provide education in areas of technology unique to the local area. The bill authorizes a trustee board to provide a reasonable amount of insurance to protect a business that contracts with the district for a career and technology education program from liability. The bill allows for students counted only in the weighted average daily attendance of the district providing the services, except that students served under an agreement authorized by Section 41.125 which will be counted in a matter determined by the commissioner. The bill authorizes the trustee board of a district with a wealth per student that exceeds the equalized wealth level, to reduce the district's wealth per student by providing career and technology education to students of one or more other districts with career and technology education. The bill requires the joint advisory committee for the State Board of Education and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to coordinate with the commissioner of higher education as well as State Board of Education in certain matters related to career and technology education. The bill amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce Commission in cooperation with the Texas Education Agency, the comptroller, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to prepare and make available to the public a list of all of the awards and incentives available for business participation in career and technology education training programs. COMPARISON TO ORIGINAL C.S.H.B. 242 modifies the original bill by requiring trustee boards to include business representatives rather than both industry and business representatives in district-level and campus-level planning and decision-making committees. C.S.H.B. 242 modifies the original bill by authorizing the State Board of Education to adopt rules to develop and implement a plan designed to incorporate foundation curriculum requirements into the career and technology education curriculum. C.S.H.B. 242 modifies the original bill by removing SECTION 2, the establishment of the Career and Technology Education Advisory Board. C.S.H.B. 242 modifies the original bill by adding language that provides a rigorous course of study. C.S.H.B. 242 modifies the original bill which states that all other insurance policies taken out on the student, by the business employer, will be distributed to the student's family if a claim is filed and the amount of money exceeds the liable amount. C.S.H.B. 242 modifies the original bill by deleting provisions that require the board of trustees of the school district to obtain voter approval of an agreement executed by a district with a wealth per student that exceeds the equalized wealth level, to provide career and technology education to students of one or more other districts. C.S.H.B. 242 modifies the original bill by amending the provisions relating to voter approval (Section 41.122, Education Code). EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003. SECTIONS 1 and 3 take effect upon passage and apply beginning with the 20032004 school year, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, SECTIONS 1 and 3 take effect September 1, 2003.