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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to establishment of the Texas Early Learning Council. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter |
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E-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER E-1. TEXAS EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL |
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Sec. 29.171. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "council" |
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means the Texas Early Learning Council. |
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Sec. 29.172. TEXAS EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL: ESTABLISHMENT |
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AND PURPOSES. The Texas Early Learning Council is an advisory |
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council established to improve school readiness in this state. |
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Sec. 29.173. COMPOSITION AND ORGANIZATION. (a) The |
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council is composed of 12 members as follows: |
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(1) two members representing Head Start agencies in |
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this state, including the director of the Texas Head Start State |
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Collaboration Office and one member appointed by the governor; |
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(2) one member representing the Department of Family |
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and Protective Services, appointed by the commissioner of the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services; |
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(3) one member representing the Department of State |
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Health Services, appointed by the commissioner of the Department of |
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State Health Services; |
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(4) one member representing the Department of |
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Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, appointed by the |
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commissioner of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative |
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Services; |
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(5) one member representing the agency, appointed by |
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the commissioner of education; |
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(6) one member representing a school district in this |
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state who has expertise in early childhood learning, appointed by |
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the commissioner of education; |
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(7) one member representing a public institution of |
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higher education who teaches courses or engages in research |
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concerning school readiness, appointed by the commissioner of |
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higher education; |
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(8) one member representing local providers of early |
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childhood education and development services, appointed by the |
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governor; |
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(9) two members who have expertise in early childhood |
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learning, appointed by the governor; and |
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(10) one member representing parents of preschool |
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students, appointed by the governor. |
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(b) The members of the council annually shall elect one |
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member to serve as the presiding officer. |
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(c) Council meetings are held at the call of the presiding |
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officer. |
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(d) The council is administratively attached to the agency |
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but is independent of direction by the agency or the commissioner of |
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education. The agency shall provide administrative support and |
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resources to the council as necessary to enable the council to |
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perform its duties. |
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(e) The agencies represented on the council shall provide |
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periodic staff support of specialists as needed to the council. |
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(f) The council is not subject to Chapter 2110, Government |
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Code. |
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Sec. 29.174. SUNSET PROVISION. The council is subject to |
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Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued |
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in existence as provided by that chapter, the council is abolished |
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and this subchapter expires September 1, 2017. |
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Sec. 29.175. DUTIES. (a) In an effort to improve the |
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school readiness of young children in this state, the council |
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shall: |
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(1) develop effective, comprehensive standards for |
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early childhood learning and school readiness that recognizes but |
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may not be limited to the importance of literacy, numeracy, social |
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and emotional development, and the physical health of children, |
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including developing systems for rating and improving child-care |
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and early childhood learning programs; |
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(2) develop recommendations for outreach to and |
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communication with parents and guardians of young children, |
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including children in underrepresented or special populations, |
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concerning the availability of and need and best practices for |
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child care and early childhood learning, for the purpose of |
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increasing the overall participation of children in existing |
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federal, state, and local child-care and early childhood learning |
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programs; |
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(3) identify opportunities for and barriers to |
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collaboration and coordination among federally funded and |
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state-funded child development, child-care, and early childhood |
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learning programs and services, including collaboration and |
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coordination among state agencies responsible for administering |
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such programs; |
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(4) develop recommendations concerning statewide |
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professional development, including career advancement, for early |
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childhood educators; |
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(5) provide recommendations concerning the |
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establishment of a unified data collection system for public |
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child-care and early childhood learning programs and services |
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throughout this state; |
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(6) conduct a periodic statewide needs assessment |
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concerning the quality and availability of early childhood |
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education and development programs and services for children from |
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birth to school entry, including an assessment of the availability |
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of high-quality prekindergarten services for educationally |
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disadvantaged children in this state; and |
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(7) assess the capacity and effectiveness of public |
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and private institutions of higher education, including junior |
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colleges, in supporting the preparation of early childhood |
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educators, including the extent to which such institutions have in |
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place articulation agreements, professional development and career |
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advancement plans, and internships or similar opportunities for |
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students to work in a Head Start or prekindergarten program. |
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(b) The council shall hold public hearings and provide |
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opportunities for public comment concerning the activities of the |
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council, including the activities of the council in carrying out |
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duties under Subsection (a). |
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(c) Not later than November 1 of each year, the council |
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shall submit to the governor, the legislature, and the director of |
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the Texas Head Start State Collaboration Office a report concerning |
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the activities of the council, including the activities of the |
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council in carrying out duties under Subsection (a). |
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Sec. 29.176. COORDINATOR. The commissioner of education |
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shall coordinate the activities of the council. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |