BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 13

By: Perry

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Recently enacted legislation sought to reduce testing and increase the focus on workforce development and college readiness in Texas public schools. Observers note that as a result of this legislation, a high school graduate may now receive an endorsement on the student's diploma and transcript noting the student's aptitude and experience in particular fields. Many educators and parents contend that in order to make the law more effective, the legislature should ensure that students are given instruction at a younger age regarding their options in graduation plans, higher education, and career opportunities. Furthermore, others have argued that red tape and restrictions on dual enrollment have hindered many students from achieving their full potential prior to graduation. C.S.S.B. 13 seeks to address these issues.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 13 amends the Education Code to prohibit a rule adopted by the commissioner of education or the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board relating to college credit programs from limiting the number of dual credit courses or hours in which a student may enroll while in high school or limiting the number of dual credit courses or hours in which a student may enroll each semester or academic year.

C.S.S.B. 13 requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA), not later than December 1, 2015, to develop uniform public outreach materials that explain the importance and outline the details of public school curriculum changes under Chapter 211 (H.B. 5), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, and subsequent associated decisions by the State Board of Education (SBOE). The bill requires TEA to make the materials available to school districts and requires the materials to be available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese and to be in a form that would allow school districts to mail the information to students and parents. The bill requires the materials to include an explanation of the basic career and college readiness components of each transcript and diploma endorsement category; the curriculum requirements to gain automatic college admission; and the applicable course, graduation plan, and endorsement requirements for higher education financial aid, including curriculum requirements for the TEXAS grant program, the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program, and the Texas B-On-time loan program. These provisions relating to public outreach materials expire September 1, 2018.

C.S.S.B. 13 requires each school district, beginning with the 2015–2016 school year, to provide instruction to students in grade seven or eight in preparing for high school, college, and a career. The bill requires the instruction to include information regarding the creation of a high school personal graduation plan, the distinguished level of achievement a student may earn under the foundation high school program, each endorsement a student may earn on the student's high school diploma and transcript, college readiness standards, and potential career choices and the education needed to enter those careers. The bill authorizes a school district to provide the instruction as a part of an existing course in the required curriculum, provide the instruction as part of an existing career and technology course designated by the SBOE as appropriate for that purpose, or establish a new elective course through which to provide the instruction. The bill requires each school district to ensure that at least once in grade seven or eight each student receives the instruction.

C.S.S.B. 13 requires the Center for Teaching and Learning at The University of Texas at Austin to develop and make available postsecondary education and career counseling academies for school counselors and other postsecondary advisors employed by a school district at a middle school, junior high school, or high school. The bill requires the center, in developing the academies, to solicit input from TEA, school counselors, the Texas Workforce Commission, institutions of higher education, and business, community, and school leaders. The bill requires an academy to provide counselors and other postsecondary advisors with knowledge and skills to provide counseling to students regarding postsecondary success and productive career planning. The bill requires an academy to include information relating to each transcript and diploma endorsement category, available methods for a student to earn credit for a course not offered at the school in which the student is enrolled, general academic performance requirements for admission to an institution of higher education, regional workforce needs, and effective strategies for engaging students and parents in planning for postsecondary education and potential careers.

C.S.S.B. 13 requires the center to develop an online instructional program that school districts may use in providing the instruction in high school, college, and career preparation required under the bill's provisions and requires the program to be structured for use as part of an existing course. The bill authorizes the center to access the P-20/Workforce Data Repository in developing training, instructional programs, and technological tools and conducting related evaluations and sets out provisions relating to the center's access to the repository.

C.S.S.B. 13 authorizes a teacher of a career and technology course or an elective course through which instruction in high school, college, and career preparation is provided under the bill's provisions to attend a postsecondary education and career counseling academy. The bill entitles a school counselor who attends the academy to receive a stipend in the amount determined by the center from funds appropriated for that purpose. The bill requires the center, if funds are available after all eligible school counselors have received a stipend, to pay a stipend in the amount determined by the center to a teacher who attends the academy. The bill establishes that a stipend received to attend an academy is not considered in determining whether a district is paying the school counselor or teacher the required minimum monthly salary. The bill authorizes the center to provide to school counselors and other educators curricula, instructional materials, and technological tools relating to postsecondary education and career counseling from available funds appropriated for purposes of the bill's provisions relating to the academies. The bill requires the center to comply with any applicable provision of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 in performing its duties or exercising its authority under the bill's provisions relating to the academies.

C.S.S.B. 13 requires a course offered for joint high school and junior college credit to be taught by a qualified instructor approved or selected by the public junior college. The bill establishes that an instructor is qualified if the instructor holds a doctoral or master's degree in the discipline that is the subject of the course or a master's degree in another discipline with a concentration that required completion of a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the discipline that is the subject of the course. The bill requires a public junior college to approve or reject an application for approval to teach a course at a high school that is submitted by an instructor employed by the school district, organization, or other person that operates the high school with which the junior college entered into an agreement to offer the course not later than the 60th day after receipt of the application.

C.S.S.B. 13 amends the Labor Code to expand the purposes for which funds from the skills development fund may be awarded to include an award to a school district to be used under an agreement with a lower-division institution of higher education to support courses offered for joint high school and college-level credit or offered under a college credit career or technical education program that leads to an industry-recognized license, credential, or certificate.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.

COMPARISON OF SENATE ENGROSSED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.S.B. 13 may differ from the engrossed in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the engrossed and committee substitute versions of the bill.