| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a study comparing the required public school curriculum |
|
|
essential knowledge and skills and the common core state standards. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 28.0027 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 28.0027. STUDY COMPARING THE ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND |
|
|
SKILLS AND THE COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Common core state standards" means the national |
|
|
curriculum standards developed by the Common Core State Standards |
|
|
Initiative. |
|
|
(2) "Educational standards" means the essential |
|
|
knowledge and skills and the common core state standards. |
|
|
(3) "Essential knowledge and skills" means the |
|
|
essential knowledge and skills of each subject of the required |
|
|
curriculum identified by the State Board of Education under Section |
|
|
28.002(c). |
|
|
(b) The agency shall contract with an organization that |
|
|
satisfies the criteria prescribed by Subsection (c) to conduct a |
|
|
study comparing the essential knowledge and skills and the common |
|
|
core state standards. The study must include comparisons of: |
|
|
(1) the similarities and differences between the two |
|
|
sets of educational standards, including: |
|
|
(A) a comparison of the rigor of the two sets of |
|
|
educational standards; and |
|
|
(B) an evaluation of which set of educational |
|
|
standards would better prepare public school students in this state |
|
|
for college and careers; |
|
|
(2) the quality of, access to, and costs associated |
|
|
with the instructional materials, as defined by Section 31.002, and |
|
|
curriculum that are aligned with each set of educational standards; |
|
|
(3) assessment instruments administered in connection |
|
|
with each set of educational standards, including comparisons of: |
|
|
(A) the costs per student in the use of: |
|
|
(i) state-adopted assessment instruments |
|
|
aligned with the essential knowledge and skills; and |
|
|
(ii) national assessment instruments |
|
|
aligned with the common core state standards; |
|
|
(B) access to and the costs associated with |
|
|
released assessment instrument questions and answers and practice |
|
|
assessment instruments; and |
|
|
(C) access to and the costs associated with |
|
|
adaptive computer-based assessments; |
|
|
(4) access to and the costs associated with |
|
|
professional development and other training opportunities aligned |
|
|
with each set of educational standards; and |
|
|
(5) any other educational matter related to either of |
|
|
the two sets of educational standards, as determined by the |
|
|
organization. |
|
|
(c) The agency may enter into a contract to conduct the |
|
|
study under this section only with an organization that: |
|
|
(1) was not involved in the adoption of either set of |
|
|
educational standards; |
|
|
(2) does not have a financial interest in either set of |
|
|
educational standards; and |
|
|
(3) is well respected in the education community for |
|
|
carrying out responsibilities related to education, including |
|
|
research or studies. |
|
|
(d) Based on the results of the study under this section, |
|
|
the organization shall: |
|
|
(1) make a determination as to which set of |
|
|
educational standards would be more effective in preparing public |
|
|
school students in this state for college and careers; |
|
|
(2) make any other relevant determinations as to the |
|
|
educational standards; and |
|
|
(3) prepare a report that contains the organization's |
|
|
recommendations as to the educational standards and the study |
|
|
results that support each recommendation. |
|
|
(e) The agency may accept any gifts, grants, or donations |
|
|
from any source to carry out the purposes of this section. |
|
|
(f) Not later than June 1, 2014, the commissioner shall |
|
|
submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the |
|
|
house of representatives, and the presiding officers of the |
|
|
standing committees of each house of the legislature with primary |
|
|
jurisdiction over public education a detailed summary of the |
|
|
organization's report and any agency recommendations or comments |
|
|
concerning information in the report. |
|
|
(g) This section expires January 1, 2015. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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, 2013. |