BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.S.B. 1484
85R26508 KJE-F	By: Taylor, Larry
	Education
	4/27/2017
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

A key to effectively implementing digital teaching and learning is the creation and sharing of high-quality open education and teacher-created resources that align with Texas standards. Currently the State of Texas has no tool that allows educators and administrators to easily and effectively evaluate digital and Open Education Resource (OER) materials. S.B. 1484 changes that by creating an Instructional Materials Web Portal (portal) and Instructional Materials Repository (repository).

The portal and repository:

• assists school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in selecting instructional materials;

• includes information on price, operating requirements, and any other relevant information; and

• provides third party independent analysis regarding TEKS alignment.

The portal includes instructional materials from the Instructional Materials list under Section 31.0231 and material submitted directly by publishers.

By presenting OER alongside other digital material with an independent third party evaluation and reviews, the portal creates a centralized location for sourcing, evaluating, and comparing instructional materials. And, because OER is presented on the same footing as other materials, districts will be able to easily identify opportunities to capitalize on cost savings presented by these materials, many of which were created through the support of taxpayer dollars.

These instructional materials would then be included in the repository, which would be accessible through the portal. This repository acts as a warehouse and catalogue for Texas districts of the available open education resources that are submitted to the portal, thus providing easy access to districts at no cost. Currently no such solution exists. (Original Author's / Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

C.S.S.B. 1484 amends current law relating to the creation of an instructional materials web portal by the commissioner of education.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 (Sections 31.081 and 31.084, Education Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 31, Education Code, by adding Subchapter B-2, as follows:

SUBCHAPTER B-2. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WEB PORTAL

Sec. 31.081. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS WEB PORTAL. (a) Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to develop and maintain a web portal to assist school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in selecting instructional materials under Section 31.101 (Selection and Purchase of Instructional Materials by School Districts).

(b) Requires the web portal to include certain general information.

(c) Requires the commissioner, by rule, to establish the procedure by which a publisher may submit instructional materials for inclusion in the web portal.�

(d) Requires the commissioner to use a competitive process to contract for the development of the web portal.

(e) Requires the commissioner to use money in the state instructional materials fund to pay any expenses associated with the web portal.

Sec. 31.082. QUALITY OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS SUBMITTED BY PUBLISHER. (a) Requires the commissioner to contract with a private entity to conduct an independent analysis of each instructional material submitted by a publisher for inclusion in the web portal developed under Section 31.081. Require the analysis to meet certain criteria.

(b) Requires the commissioner to include in the web portal developed under Section 31.081 the results of each analysis conducted under Subsection (a).

Sec. 31.083. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS REPOSITORY. (a) Defines "open educational resource."

(b) Requires the commissioner to include in the web portal developed under Section 31.081 a repository of open educational resources (OER) and other electronic instructional materials that school districts and open-enrollment charter schools may access at no cost, including certain materials.

(c) Authorizes a publisher to submit instructional materials for inclusion in the repository.

Sec. 31.084. RULES. Authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules as necessary to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 31.004(b), Education Code, to authorize a school district or open-enrollment charter school to consider certain materials, including OER and other electronic instructional materials included in the repository under Section 31.083 to make a certain determination.

SECTION 3. Amends Section 31.021(c), Education Code, as follows:

(c) Requires money in the state instructional materials fund to be used for certain purposes, including to pay the expenses associated with the instructional materials web portal developed under Section 31.081.� Deletes existing text requiring money in the state instructional materials fund to be used to fund the technology lending grant program established under Section 32.201.

SECTION 4. Requires the commissioner to, not later than September 1, 2018, develop the web portal required under Subchapter B-2, Chapter 31, Education Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.