85S10692 MM-F
 
  By: Anchia H.B. No. 173
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to higher education curriculum review teams to review
  public school curriculum standards for college readiness purposes.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 28.0025 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.0025.  HIGHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM REVIEW TEAMS.
  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Board" means the State Board of Education.
               (2)  "Institution of higher education" and "private or
  independent institution of higher education" have the meanings
  assigned by Section 61.003.
         (b)  For each subject undergoing a review for the purpose of
  identifying and adopting the essential knowledge and skills of a
  subject of the foundation curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(1),
  the board shall appoint a higher education curriculum review team
  to review and make recommendations to the board concerning the
  essential knowledge and skills to ensure that proposed essential
  knowledge and skills:
               (1)  are factually accurate and aligned with
  contemporary scholarship;
               (2)  are aligned with college and career readiness
  standards and serve to prepare students for college; and
               (3)  serve appropriate instructional purposes.
         (c)  Each higher education curriculum review team shall
  consist of not fewer than 5 and not more than 10 faculty members of
  institutions of higher education or private or independent
  institutions of higher education. The board shall make the
  appointments to each higher education curriculum review team from
  among persons nominated by the commissioner or the commissioner of
  higher education.
         (d)  Each member nominated by the commissioner must have in
  the subject under review:
               (1)  at least five years of teaching experience; and
               (2)  credentials that satisfy the faculty credential
  guidelines established by the Commission on Colleges of the
  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
         (e)  Each member nominated by the commissioner of higher
  education must have in the subject under review:
               (1)  at least five years of higher education teaching
  experience; and
               (2)  credentials that satisfy the faculty credential
  guidelines established by the Commission on Colleges of the
  Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
         (f)  In selecting their respective nominees for a higher
  education curriculum review team, the commissioner and the
  commissioner of higher education shall each:
               (1)  attempt to achieve a balanced combination of
  educational perspectives, including by geographic area, race, and
  sex; and
               (2)  give preference to nominees who have teaching
  experience in this state at an institution of higher education or a
  private or independent institution of higher education.
         (g)  At times and places determined by the chair of the
  board, before and after the board considers on first reading
  proposed essential knowledge and skills of a subject for which a
  higher education curriculum review team has been appointed under
  this section, that higher education curriculum review team shall
  meet to review the proposed essential knowledge and skills.  The
  team shall submit to the board the results of the team's review and
  any recommendations for changes. The board may consider the team's
  recommendations in adopting the proposed essential knowledge and
  skills.
         (h)  The agency shall post on the agency's Internet website
  the recommendations of each higher education curriculum review
  team.
         (i)  The commissioner and the commissioner of higher
  education shall coordinate with the board as necessary for the
  administration of this section.
         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 on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.