BILL ANALYSIS
By: Kolkhorst
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current state law includes funding for a career and technology program for ninth to twelfth grade. This bill would fund a pilot program in career and technology program in public schools for students in the eighth grade and establish a panel to review and recommend topics associated with career and technology education in Texas.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board of Education in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
Note: Unless otherwise specified, all statutory references in this Bill Analysis are to the Education Code.
The bill amends Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, to require the Texas Education Agency (agency) to establish a panel not later than November 1, 2007, consisting of people with expertise in career and technology education programs and industry employers that hire students who complete career and technology education programs (programs).
The bill provides that the panel will review and recommend revisions to the curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(2)(F), and review articulation agreements with junior colleges and technical colleges entered into under Subchapter T, Chapter 61. The bill provides that a member of the panel shall serve on a voluntary basis without compensation.
The bill provides that, not later than May 1, 2008, the panel shall complete the review of the career and technology education curriculum and make recommendations to the State Board of Education (board). Not later than September 1, 2008, the board by rule shall revise the essential knowledge and skills of the curriculum based on such recommendations, and the Board shall require school districts to provide instruction in the revised curriculum beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.
The bill provides that, not later than May 1, 2008, the panel shall complete its review of articulation agreements and provide its recommendations to the agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. This above-described provisions expire September 1, 2010.
The bill amends the Education Code to require the Commissioner of Education (commissioner) to develop and implement a pilot program under which a school district is entitled to additional funding for each student receiving career and technology education in grade 8. The commissioner shall select the Region 6 and 20 education service centers for participation in the pilot program. The bill provides that certain specified school districts with participating full-time equivalent students shall be entitled to an annual allotment calculated in the manner specified in the bill. The bill specifies allowable uses of funds allocated under the program, with exclusion of indirect cost allotments, and specifies the duration of such allotments.
The bill provides that, by January 1, 2013, the agency must report to each member of the legislature on the effectiveness of the pilot program. This provision has an expiration date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The original bill amends Section 42.154 (a) to provide that for each full-time equivalent student in grades eight through 12 in average daily attendance in an approved career and technology education program or in a career and technology education program for students with disabilities in grade seven, a district is entitled to an annual allotment equal to the adjusted basic allotment multiplied by a weight of 1.35. The substitute bill does not amend this provision.
The pilot program in the original bill is essentially identical in concept and structure to that in the substitute bill as described above in the ANALYSIS section, except that participating students in the original bill would be in grade seven, and participating students in the substitute bill would be in grade eight.
The original bill provided that either the Region 6 education service center or the Region 20 education service center would be selected for participation in the pilot program. The substitute provides that both the Region 6 education service center and the Region 20 education service center would be selected for participation in the pilot program.
The original also included the following: funds allocated under Section 42.154, other than an indirect cost allotment established under State Board of Education rule, must be used in providing career and technology education programs under Sections 29.182, 29.183, and 29.184 for students described by Subsection (a) of Section 42.154, as amended by the original bill.
The substitute bill adds the provisions described above in the ANALYSIS section relating to the establishment of a panel to review career and technology education programs and certain articulation agreements.