BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1809

                                                                                                                                   By: Wentworth

                                                                                                                                            Education

                                                                                                                                              6/3/2005

                                                                                                                                              Enrolled

 

 

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Texas Tech-Prep Program was enacted in 1999 to allow high school students to begin a college technical major while still attending high school.  Texas' Tech-Prep law emphasizes the important role played by Texas' business community, in partnership with secondary and post-secondary educational leaders, and provides for cost-effective statewide administration of the federally funded program through a statewide network of regional consortia. 

 

S.B. 1809 clarifies the original intent of current state law regarding operation of tech-prep in Texas and provides for a statewide evaluation of tech-prep consortia.

 

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 61.853, Education Code, by adding Subsections (e), (f), and (g), as follows:

 

(e)  Prohibits an entity established after January 1, 2005, from being a tech-prep consortium for purposes of this subchapter unless the entity is established or otherwise formed after that date as a result of an action taken under Subsection (f)(1) or (2).

 

(f)  Sets forth options for a tech-prep consortium that fails to meet standards established under Section 61.858, in accordance with rules adopted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

 

(g)  Sets forth requirements for THECB in adopting rules for the purposes of Subsection (f).

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Subchapter T, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Section 61.858, as follows:

 

Sec. 61.858.  STATEWIDE EVALUATION.  (a)  Requires THECB, in coordination with tech-prep consortia, including the governing board of each tech-prep consortium, to develop and implement a statewide system to evaluate each consortium based on the success of the tech-prep program and other appropriate criteria.  Sets forth requirements for the evaluation system.

 

(b)  Requires THECB to evaluate each tech-prep consortium biennially using the criteria developed under Subsection (a) and report to each consortium to the results not later than October 1 of each even-numbered year.  Sets forth requirements for the report.

 

(c)  Requires THECB to issue the initial reports required by this section not later than October 1, 2006.  Provides that this subsection expires October 31, 2006.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2005.