SRC-TAG C.S.S.B. 13 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 13
78R10533 CAS-FBy: Zaffirini
                  Education
4/2/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)

DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas lacks laws to regulate the amount of time a teacher
spends on paperwork.  Some believe that restricting the amount of required
written information would  permit teachers to spend more time on teaching
students at  public schools.  C.S.S.B. 13 limits the amount of paperwork
that can be required of public school classroom teachers.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 11.164, Education Code, as follows:

Sec.  11.164.  New heading: RESTRICTING WRITTEN INFORMATION.  (a)
Requires the board of trustees of each school district (board) to limit
redundant requests for information, rather than soliciting recommendations
from each campus-level committee and the district-level committee and the
district-level committee, and the number and length of written reports
that a classroom teacher is, rather than employees of the district are,
required to prepare.  Prohibits a classroom teacher from being required to
prepare any written information, other than under certain circumstances.
Makes nonsubstantives changes. 

(b)  Requires the board to review paperwork requirements imposed on
classroom teachers and to transfer to existing noninstructional staff a
reporting task that can reasonably be accomplished by that staff. 

(c)  Provides that this section does not preclude a school district from
collecting essential information, in addition to information specified
under Subsection (a), from a classroom teacher on agreement between the
classroom teacher and the district. 

SECTION 2.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2003-2004
school year. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.  Differs from the original bill in Section 11.164(a) by
deleting "except as provided by Subsection (b)." 

Differs from the original bill in Section 11.164(a)(2) by deleting the
word "particular" as a modifier for "assignment or examination." 

Differs from the original bill in Section 11.164(a) by adding  new
Subdivsions (3) and (9). 

Redesignates (a)(8) as (a)(10) and deletes the phrase "to be prepared by
the teacher." 

 Differs from the original Section 11.164(c) by replacing the phrase "if
participation is agreed to by the teacher and the school district" with
"on agreement between the classroom teacher and the district."