BILL ANALYSIS
By: Isett
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Over the past decade many instructional aids have been developed to enhance the reading ability of a student. Campuses across the state are using some of these materials to augment the TEKS curricula. CSHB 3468 seeks to allow the Commissioner of Education to develop pilot programs implementing accelerated learning curricula aids. It does not seek to implement a new type of curriculum but to augment the existing TEKS with instructional tools.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Commissioner of Education in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
CSHB 3468 creates an intensive reading and language intervention pilot program. The Commissioner of Education by rule may establish a pilot program in which a participating campus provides intensive reading and language intervention to participating students. If a pilot program is established by the commissioner, a campus may apply to participate. The commissioner may select only campuses that have failed to improve student performance in reading according to standards established by the commissioner. The commissioner shall adopt minimum criteria that a program must meet in order to be selected by a participating campus for use in providing intensive reading and language intervention. The criteria must include areas as designated by this legislation. A participating campus must submit to the commissioner a summary of the campus's proposed intensive intervention program. The commissioner may approve a program only if it follows the minimum criteria as designated by this legislation. The principal, in consultation with classroom teachers of a campus shall select students to participate in the pilot program. A participating campus is to assess each selected student prior to transferring into the pilot program and after a student transfers out of the pilot program to measure the student's progress. The legislature is to be provided with a report describing student progress. The commissioner may provide funding for the pilot program as designated by this legislation. If the commissioner establishes the pilot program the commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section. If the commissioner establishes the pilot program the commissioner shall make the pilot program available to participating campuses during the 2005 - 2006 and 2006 - 2007 school year. This section expires July 1, 2007.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute changes "program" to "pilot program" throughout the bill. The substitute removes "English language instruction" by replacing wording throughout the bill with "language intervention." The substitute creates permissive language for the commissioner to establish a pilot program. The substitute also designates standards established by the commissioner. The substitute sets out that the commissioner is to adopt minimum criteria that must be met by a program for use in providing intensive reading and language intervention. The substitute adds that a participating campus shall submit to the commissioner a campus's proposed intensive intervention program and the commissioner may approve a program only if it follows the adopted minimum criteria. The substitute adds that the principal, in consultation with classroom teachers at the campus, are to select students to participate in the program. The substitute adds that the legislature shall receive a report describing student's progress in the pilot program. The substitute also makes conforming changes.