BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2433
	By: Taylor
	Education
	4/3/2019
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Computer science and coding skills are in strong demand in the job market. There are 37,000 open jobs in computer science in Texas alone, with a median salary of $91,000 � almost double the statewide median salary. Despite these opportunities, less than three percent of Texas high school students took a computer science course in the 2015-16 school year.

 

S.B. 2433 would move the remaining technology applications courses (Chapter 126, Education Code) into career and technical education (Chapter 130, Education Code) so schools offering these courses receive weighted funding at the state level and become eligible for federal Perkins funds. This would incentive districts to offer these critical courses.

 

By combining these chapters, the state can also remove duplicate courses and focus limited resources on rigorous courses that advance academic, technical, and industry-relevant skills that prepare all students for success in college and technology-rich careers. Also, moving technology applications courses into the career and technical education chapter would better connect students to the workforce, support alignment between courses and the rapidly changing technology landscape, and would facilitate the connections to industry that are already the responsibility of the career and technical education coordinators in most districts.

 

As proposed, S.B. 2433 amends current law relating to the career and technology education and technology applications allotment and the essential knowledge and skills of the career and technology education and technology applications curriculums.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends the heading to Section 42.154, Education Code, to read as follows:

 

Sec. 42.154. CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS ALLOTMENT.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Sections 42.154(a), (c), and (e), Education Code, as follows:

 

(a) Entitles a district, for each full-time equivalent student in average daily attendance in an approved career and technology education program or an approved technology applications course, rather than an approved career and technology education program, in grades nine through 12 or in career and technology education programs for students with disabilities in grades seven through 12, to:

 

(1) makes no changes to this subdivision; and

 

(2) $50, if the student is enrolled in:

 

(A) creates this paragraph from existing text and makes nonsubstantive changes;

 

(B) two or more advanced technology applications courses for a total of three or more credits.

 

(c) Makes a conforming change to this subsection.

 

(e) Requires the commissioner of education, out of the total statewide allotment, rather than the total statewide allotment for career and technology education, under this section (Career and Technology Education Allotment), to set aside an amount specified in the General Appropriations Act, which may not exceed an amount equal to one percent of the total amount appropriated, to support regional career and technology education planning. Makes a conforming change.

 

SECTION 3. �Amends Section 42.154(b)(2), Education Code, to redefine "full‑time equivalent student" to mean 30 hours of contact a week between a student and career and technology education program or technology applications personnel.

 

SECTION 4. Amends Section 42.101(a), Education Code, as follows:

 

(a) Entitles a district, for each student in average daily attendance, not including the time students spend each day in special education programs in an instructional arrangement other than mainstream programs, career and technology education programs, or technology applications courses, rather than in an instruction arrangement other than mainstream or career and technology education programs, for which an additional allotment is made under Subchapter C (Special Allotments), to an allotment equal to the lesser of $4,765 or the amount that results from a certain formula.

 

SECTION 5. Repealer: Section 42.154(b)(1) (relating to the definitions of "career and technology education class" and "career and technology education program" ), Education Code.

 

SECTION 6. Requires the State Board of Education (SBOE), not later than March 1, 2020, to:

 

(1)� conduct a review of the essential knowledge and skills of the career and technology and technology applications curriculums; and

 

(2)� amend SBOE's rules in the Texas Administrative Code to consolidate the technology applications courses for grades nine through 12 in 19 T.A.C. Chapter 126, Subchapter C (High School), with the career and technical education courses in 19 T.A.C. Chapter 130 (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education), and eliminate duplicative courses while ensuring certifications are aligned with the rigor of each individual course.

 

SECTION 7. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2020�2021 school year.

 

SECTION 8. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.