AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The State Board of Education (SBOE) is tasked with adopting curriculum standards for public education, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). There is consensus among educators that the scope of TEKS is too broad to be reasonably taught within the span of the school year. C.S.S.B. 313 develops a framework to guide SBOE in narrowing the curriculum.

 

C.S.S.B. 313 amends current law relating to the essential knowledge and skills of the required public school curriculum and the administration and reports relating to assessment intruments administered to public school students.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, by adding Section 28.0025, as follows:

 

Sec. 28.0025.  REVIEW AND MODIFICATION OF ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.  (a) Requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to:

 

(1)  conduct a review of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)  of the foundation curriculum subjects under Section 28.002(a)(1) (relating to foundation curriculum requirements of school districts which offer K-12); and

 

(2)  modify TEKS of the foundation curriculum subjects to narrow the content and scope of standards and skills for each subject and grade level in accordance with this section.

 

(b)  Requires SBOE, in complying with this section, to consider:

 

(1)  for each subject and grade level, the time:

 

(A)  a teacher would require to provide comprehensive instruction on a particular standard or skill; and

 

(B)  a typical student would require to master a particular standard or skill;

 

(2)  whether, in light of the consideration required by Subdivision (1), each essential knowledge and skill of a subject can be comprehensively taught within the number of school days required under Section 25.081 (Operation of Schools), excluding the number of days required for testing;

 

(3)  the college and career readiness standards, and whether inclusion of part of those standards in the essential knowledge and skills of a subject is possible; and

 

(4)  whether an assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023 (Adoption and Administration of Instruments) adequately assesses a particular standard or skill.

 

(c) Requires SBOE, in establishing or following an established timeline for reviewing and modifying TEKS as required under this section, to ensure that the established timeline reflects a priority to first review and modify a subject administering an end-of-course assessment instrument under Section 39.023(c) (relating to adoption of end-of-course assessment instruments for secondary-level courses) before administering an instrument under Section 39.023(a) (relating to the adoption or development of appropriate criterion-referenced assessment instruments to assess essential knowledge and skills).  Requires SBOE to complete the review and modification of TEKS for each applicable subject and grade level not later than September 1, 2018.

 

(d)  Prohibits SBOE from adding to or modifying the content and scope of standards and skills for any subject in the foundation curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(1) unless modifications are made in accordance with this section until the review and modification under this section is complete.

 

(e)  Provides that this section expires September 1, 2018.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 28.008(d), Education Code, to require SBOE to develop and by rule adopt a chart that clearly indicates the alignment of the college readiness standards and expectations with TEKS identified by SBOE under Section 28.002(c) (relating to TEKS standards set by SBOE, with direct participation of educators, parents, business representatives, and employers).

 

SECTION 3.  Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, by adding Section 28.0081, as follows:

 

Sec. 28.0081. ADMINISTRATION OF ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENT FOR DIAGNOSTIC PURPOSES.  (a) Requires a school district, not later than April 1 of each school year, to administer an assessment instrument designated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) under Section 51.3062(c) (relating to assessment instruments designated by THECB for use by institutions of higher education) to each student in the district enrolled in the 10th grade. Provides that a student's performance on the assessment instrument may only be used for diagnostic purposes, including a determination as to whether a student should be enrolled in developmental education courses. Requires the student's admission, review, and dismissal committee to determine if it is appropriate for the student to be administered the assessment instrument required under this section if a student is in a special education program under Subchapter A (Special Education Program), Chapter 29.

 

(b) Provides that this section applies only until SBOE has completed the review and modification of TEKS of the foundation curriculum subjects required by Section 28.0025. Provides that this section expires September 1, 2018.

 

SECTION 4.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, by adding Section 39.0239, as follows:

 

Sec. 39.0239. REQUIRED REPORT FOR CERTAIN ASSESSMENTS.  (a)  Requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA), following the administration of an assessment instrument adopted or developed under Section 39.023(a) (requiring TEA to adopt or develop appropriate criterion-referenced assessment instruments designed to assess essential knowledge and skills in certain enumerated areas), to provide a detailed report of a student's performance on the assessment instrument to the student, the student's parent or other person standing in parental relationship, and the student's teachers.

 

(b) Requires that the report provided under Subsection (a) include an analysis of a student's performance on each assessed standard or skill in the essential knowledge and skills of the subject for which the assessment instrument was administered. Requires the analysis to indicate whether the student mastered each standard or skill assessed in the assessment instrument.

 

(c) Requires that the analysis under Subsection (b) demonstrate both individual assessment results and assessment results aggregated across classes, campuses, and districts.

 

(d) Authorizes the commissioner to contract with a third party to fulfill the requirements of this section.

 

SECTION 5.  Requires SBOE, not later than January 1, 2016, to adopt a chart as prescribed by Section 28.008(d), Education Code, as amended by this Act.

 

SECTION 6.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.

 

SECTION 7.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.