BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 963

By: Bell, Cecil

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Reports indicate that there is a need for skilled workers in Texas with regard to the fast-growing technology industry. C.S.H.B. 963 seeks to ensure that students who will constitute the state's workforce are equipped to meet this need by providing for a review of the essential knowledge and skills of the career and technology and technology applications curriculums.   

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. 963 requires the State Board of Education (SBOE), not later than March 1, 2020, to conduct a review of the essential knowledge and skills of the career and technology and technology applications curriculums and to amend SBOE rules to consolidate technology applications courses for grades 9 through 12 with career and technical education courses and eliminate duplicative courses while ensuring certifications are aligned with the rigor of each individual course.

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. 963 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 does not include provisions:

· renaming the career and technology education allotment and expanding the types of students for whom a public school district is entitled to the allotment;

· entitling a district to an additional $50 for each applicable student who is enrolled in two or more advanced technology applications courses for a total of three or more credits; or

· providing for the applicability of the bill's provisions beginning with the 2020-2021 school year.