BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 651

By: Allison

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Coursework in Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) and Leadership Officer Training Corps (LOTC) should qualify as part of career and technology education programs in order to allow students involved in these courses to begin their careers quicker and easier upon graduating high school. In addition, designating satisfactory performance in JROTC and LOTC as an indicator of achievement for military readiness and providing an allotment for enrollment in these courses could provide students with opportunities to develop essential skills and knowledge. H.B. 651 provides for each of these policy outcomes.

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

H.B. 651 amends the Education Code to require the state plan for career and technology education to include procedures designed to ensure that courses of study in a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program or Leadership Officer Training Corps program are provided as part of career and technology education programs offered by public schools. The bill creates, for purposes of the public school accountability system, indicators in the student achievement domain for evaluating the performance of high school campuses and public school districts that include those campuses for students who demonstrate military readiness by:

· achieving a passing score set by the applicable military branch on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test; or

· successfully completing a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

The bill entitles a district, in addition to other career and technology education allotments, to an annual allotment equal to the basic allotment, or if applicable, the sum of the basic allotment and the small or mid-sized district allotment, multiplied by:

· 1.28 for each student enrolled in an approved Leadership Officer Training Corps program; and

· 1.47 for each student enrolled in an approved Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program.

H.B. 651 applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.