BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 843

By: Springer

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised that, even though student credit for Algebra II and English III may be considered favorably for purposes of college admission, the achievement of students who earn credit for those courses is not reflected in the college, career, and military readiness component of student achievement under the public school accountability system. C.S.H.B. 843 seeks to address this issue by adding an accountability system indicator that incorporates student performance in these subjects.

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.H.B. 843 reenacts Section 39.053(c), Education Code, as amended by Chapters 807 (H.B. 22), 842 (H.B. 2223), and 1088 (H.B. 3593), Acts of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, to conform to changes made by Chapter 807 (H.B. 22) revising requirements for the achievement indicators that constitute the basis of evaluation of public school districts and campuses for purposes of public school system accountability and to incorporate a change made by Chapter 1088 (H.B. 3593) including as an indicator in the student achievement domain for evaluating the performance of high school campuses and districts that include high school campuses an indicator that accounts for students who successfully completed a practicum or internship approved by the State Board of Education.

C.S.H.B. 843 amends the Education Code to include as an indicator in the student achievement domain used for evaluating the performance of high school campuses and districts an indicator that accounts for students who satisfy the relevant performance standards on an Algebra II or English III postsecondary readiness test adopted or developed by the Texas Education Agency for optional administration by a district or who successfully completed an Algebra II or English III course with a grade of at least the equivalent of 70 on a scale of 100. The bill applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year.     

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 843 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute expands the added indicator regarding performance in Algebra II or English III to include students who successfully completed an Algebra II or English III course with a specified minimum grade.