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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Texas statute requires the public education system |
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of the state to ensure that all Texas children have access to a |
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quality education that enables them to achieve their potential and |
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fully participate in the current and future social, economic, and |
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educational opportunities of our state and nation; and |
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WHEREAS, These current and future opportunities demand a |
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workforce well versed in 21st century technology and ready to meet |
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the rapidly changing needs of a global economy; thus, the public |
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education system must have a curriculum that fully embraces |
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technology and prepares students to adapt to rapidly evolving |
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innovations; and |
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WHEREAS, The use in the classroom of technologies such as the |
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Internet and interactive learning software has been shown to raise |
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standardized test scores, increase motivation in students, and |
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greatly improve the effectiveness with which math, science, and |
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language skills are taught; studies in Illinois reported state |
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assessment test improvements among 11th grade science and 10th |
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grade reading students who received computer-based tutoring, and |
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evaluations in Pennsylvania showed that algebra students using |
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similar instructional technology outperformed students in |
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traditional classes by up to 25 percent in skill and up to 100 |
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percent in problem solving; and |
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WHEREAS, In addition, classrooms employing these |
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technologies have been more apt to retain at-risk students and have |
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effectively introduced economically disadvantaged children to |
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computers, improving their chances at success in future educational |
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and career endeavors; the National Center for Education Statistics |
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reports that 60 percent of students from families in poverty who |
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access the Internet from only one location do so at school; and |
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WHEREAS, The flexibility offered by the use of these |
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technologies also allows teachers to tailor instruction to |
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accommodate the specific needs of individual students and provides |
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access to resources such as vastly larger libraries, direct contact |
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with teachers and researchers who are not physically present, and |
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educational collections in other cities, states, or countries; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas statute also requires the comprehensive use of |
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accessible technology in all aspects of instruction, |
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administration, and communication; given the obvious classroom |
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benefits of employing these resources, the state should assess its |
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use of instructional technology and develop a statewide online |
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learning program; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby create and establish the Commission on Online Learning to |
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develop a plan to provide all students and teachers in Texas with |
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access to the essential educational content and best pedagogical |
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practices to ensure the general diffusion of knowledge promised in |
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Section 1, Article VII, Texas Constitution; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the study include consideration of the |
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following issues: |
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(1) accessibility of elements of the Texas Essential |
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Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) on a state-approved website or another |
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online source; |
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(2) curriculum enhancement materials that can be used |
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as stand-alone lessons or teaching aids; |
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(3) electronic student assessment tools; |
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(4) test preparation resource tools; |
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(5) library and other research tools; |
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(6) electronic professional development tools for |
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teachers; |
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(7) budget requirements to achieve recommendations; |
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(8) current state policies on online learning; |
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(9) research-based best practices in online learning |
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from other states and from other countries; |
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(10) any modifications of state policies that may be |
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needed; |
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(11) possible partners that could assist the state in |
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enhancing online learning, including other states, the federal |
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government, school districts in Texas, philanthropic foundations, |
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nonprofit organizations, and private companies; and |
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(12) a specific plan of action for the legislature and |
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Texas Education Agency to implement the most cost-effective |
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strategy to integrate online learning into the Texas education |
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system to the benefit of students, teachers, and parents; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the commission's membership include: |
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(1) two members of the senate appointed by the |
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lieutenant governor; |
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(2) two members of the house of representatives |
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appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; |
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(3) two members who are members of the State Board of |
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Education appointed by the chair of the State Board of Education; |
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(4) two members who are superintendents of public |
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school districts appointed by the governor; |
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(5) two members who are district technology directors |
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or coordinators appointed by the governor; |
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(6) two members who are principals from a public |
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school campus or open-enrollment charter school appointed by the |
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governor; |
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(7) three members who are teachers from a public |
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school campus or open-enrollment charter school appointed by the |
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governor; |
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(8) three members who are business leaders from the |
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high-tech industry appointed by the governor; and |
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(9) one member who is a national expert on education |
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technology research appointed by the governor; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chairman of the Commission on Online |
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Learning be selected by the members of the commission; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby direct the |
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commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, from the amounts |
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appropriated for educational technology, to transfer to The |
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University of Texas System the amount of $252,671 for the fiscal |
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year ending August 31, 2008, and the amount of $212,670 for the |
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fiscal year ending August 31, 2009; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the legislature hereby direct The University |
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of Texas System to use the transferred funds to pay for the |
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necessary and reasonable expenses of the commission, including the |
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compensation of any staff necessary to conduct the work of the |
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commission, and authorize any member, committee, or agency of the |
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legislature to provide staff support and other resources to the |
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task force; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the commission be authorized to request |
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assistance and information, excluding confidential information, |
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from any state agency in the expectation that the agency will |
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provide the assistance and information requested; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the commission submit a report, including |
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findings, recommendations, and possible legislation, to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of |
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representatives not later than December 1, 2008; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the commission be abolished January 1, 2009. |