AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

S.B. 1410 would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to establish procedures for school districts and open-enrollment charter schools to identify high school students as participants in a technology preparation (tech-prep) program of study, and report this information to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

 

Tech-prep programs combine high school career and technical education with a minimum of two years of postsecondary education.  Tech-prep consortia, which are partnerships including school districts and community colleges, develop articulation agreements that allow high school students to earn college credit for the advanced career and technology courses they take.

 

Additionally, S.B. 1410 would require THECB to conduct annual evaluations of tech-prep consortia and provide them with written evaluation findings and recommendations; and would require that the evaluation include an assessment of the consortium's performance during the past year in comparison to its goals and objectives, an identification of any concerns THECB has regarding consortium's performance, and recommendations for improvement by the consortium in the next year.

 

By November 1st each year, THECB must provide a written report to each tech-prep consortium that includes the findings, concerns, and recommendations resulting from THECB evaluations, and identifies areas in which the consortium has made improvement or should take steps to improve its performance, and identify the best practices of tech-prep consortia.

 

Amending statute to require annual tech-prep evaluations by THECB and requiring TEA to clarify data reporting requirements would provide THECB and the Texas Legislature with more useful information to gauge tech-prep programs' contribution to helping high school students earn college credit and prepare to enter the workforce.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1410 amends current law relating to reporting student enrollment in tech-prep programs and evaluating tech-prep consortia.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 2 (Section 61.858, Education Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 29.185, Education Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 29.185.  New heading:  CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES.  (a)  Creates this subsection from existing text and makes no further changes.

 

(b) Requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to establish procedures for each school district and open-enrollment charter school to:

 

(1)  identify students who are enrolled in a tech-prep program as described by Section 61.852; and

 

(2)  report the number of tech-prep program students to TEA and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 61.858, Education Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 61.858.  New heading:  TECH-PREP CONSORTIUM EVALUATION.  (a)  Requires THECB to develop and implement a statewide system to evaluate each tech-prep consortium to develop and implement a statewide system to evaluate each consortium.  Requires that the evaluation include:

 

(1)  an assessment of the consortium's performance during the past year in comparison to the goals and objectives stated in the five-year plan contained in the consortium's grant application to THECB under Section 61.856;

 

(2)  an identification of any concerns THECB has regarding the consortium's performance; and

 

(3)  recommendations for improvement by the consortium in the next year.

 

Deletes existing text requiring 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 consortium's tech prep program and other appropriate criteria.  Deletes existing text requiring that the evaluation system include standards that a tech-prep consortium, including the consortium's governing board, is expected to meet in administering the consortium's duties under this subchapter.

 

(b)  Requires THECB to evaluate each tech-prep consortium annually, rather than requiring THECB, using the criteria developed under Subsection (a), to evaluate each tech-prep consortium biennially.  Requires that the annual evaluation, at least once every four years, or more frequently as provided by board rule, to be conducted on-site.

 

(c)  Creates this subsection from existing text.  Requires THECB, not later than November 1 of each year, to provide a written report to each tech-prep consortium with the results of the evaluation, rather than requiring THECB, not later than October 1 of each even-numbered year to report to each tech-prep consortium the results of the evaluation.  Requires that the report:

 

(1)  contain the findings, concerns, and recommendations resulting from the evaluation required under Subsections (a) and (b);

 

(2)  communicate to the consortium the results of THECB's evaluation, specifically including the elements required by Subsection (a);

 

(3) identify areas in which the consortium has made improvement or should take steps to improve its performance; and

 

(4)  identify best practices of tech-prep consortia.

 

Deletes existing text requiring that the report discuss any failure of the tech-prep consortium to meet a standard established under Subsection (a) during the reporting period, recognize the achievements of the consortium and include the consortium's meeting of standards during the reporting period. 

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2011.