H.B. 860 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


H.B. 860
By: McReynolds
Public Education
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law permits school districts to use non-instructional days for
planning and preparation or staff development. Site-based decision-making
committees have the authority to approve the content of staff development
instruction, but are not authorized to decide the number of
non-instructional days dedicated to staff development. These committees
are closely connected to faculty members, and possess an understanding of
whether non-instructional days should be used for planning and preparation
or staff development.  Providing the committees with the authority to
decide the number of days to devote to staff development enables schools
to develop comprehensive, high-quality instruction for staff development.
House Bill 860 provides for the site-based decision-making committee's
approval of the use of educators' non-instructional days on campuses that
receive exemplary status under Chapter 39.   


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

House Bill 860  amends the Education Code to provide that each exemplary
school's  campus-level planning and decision-making committee approve the
use of educators' days of service for which instruction is not required. 

The Act applies beginning with the 2003-2004 school year. 


EFFECTIVE DATE

Upon passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2003.