By: Hilderbran (Senate Sponsor - Fraser) H.B. No. 1700

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2007; May 2, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 10, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 10, 2007, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a project for the development and implementation of a nature science curriculum for public school students.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 28.013 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.013. NATURE SCIENCE CURRICULUM PROJECT. (a) The State Board of Education shall assist in developing a nature science curriculum, in accordance with this section, the following entities, acting jointly:

(1) the Outdoor School at Texas Tech University Center at Junction;

(2) the Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (T-STEM) Center of Texas Tech University; and

(3) South Llano River State Park.

(b) The nature science curriculum must:

(1) be designed for instruction of students in grades six through 12;

(2) provide for grade-level appropriate instruction in essential knowledge and skills identified by the State Board of Education under Section 28.002 for:

(A) science; and

(B) mathematics, social studies, and language arts, to the extent practicable and relevant to nature science studies;

(3) through participation in outdoor experiential learning projects in state parks, provide for the scientific study by students of:

(A) conservation, wildlife or aquatic biology, range ecology, or other areas of nature science; and

(B) problems affecting nature, such as threats to the watershed, and possible solutions to those problems; and

(4) be designed to:

(A) be capable of implementation in any state park;

(B) use state park resources in providing instruction; and

(C) be presented by classroom teachers and state park employees.

(c) The Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (T-STEM) Center of Texas Tech University shall make the nature science curriculum available through the university's Internet website or through a separate Internet website developed by the center for that purpose.

(d) The Texas Tech University Center at Junction, with assistance from South Llano River State Park, shall present to classroom teachers and state park employees staff development courses in providing instruction in the nature science curriculum.

(e) The nature science curriculum project must be implemented and maintained using money appropriated for those purposes.

SECTION 2. The Texas Tech University Center at Junction, with assistance from South Llano River State Park, shall present staff development courses as required by Section 28.013, Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning September 1, 2008.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

* * * * *