BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3069

By: González, Mary

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that, despite ample job opportunities and a high median wage, few Texas high school students took a computer science course in the most recent school year. It has been suggested that one barrier to success in this field is the lack of knowledge and guidance from teachers on the opportunities in computer science. C.S.H.B. 3069 seeks to provide teachers the resources to obtain a computer science certification and continue professional development in coding, computational thinking, and computer science education by creating a professional development grant program.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3069 amends the Education Code to require the commissioner of education to establish a competitive professional development grant program not later than December 31, 2019, for purposes of encouraging teachers to obtain computer science certification and continue professional development in coding, computational thinking, and computer science education. The bill requires the commissioner, from funds appropriated for the purpose, to make grants to eligible providers that offer:

· professional development for elementary school and middle and junior high school teachers to ensure teachers maintain a working knowledge of current computer industry standard tools and resources; and

· training for computer science certification for teachers in accordance with certification requirements adopted by the State Board for Educator Certification.

C.S.H.B. 3069 specifies the types of providers that are eligible to receive a grant and requires a provider, as a condition of eligibility, to meet eligibility standards established by commissioner rule. The bill requires a grant recipient to:

· provide the requisite training or professional development and establish professional development hubs in each education service center region;

· serve high-need campuses;

· have established partnerships with public institution of higher education faculty with expertise in computing and computer science education; and

· develop partnerships with computer industry professionals.

C.S.H.B. 3069 caps the total amount of grants awarded under the program for a state fiscal biennium at $4 million. The bill authorizes the commissioner to adopt rules as necessary to implement the grant program.

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. 3069 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 includes a provision capping the total amount of grants awarded under the program for a state fiscal biennium at $4 million.

The substitute includes a definition of "institution of higher education" that limits an applicable institution to a public institution and specifies that grant program is a competitive grant program.