BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2403
88R10917 KJE-D	By: Springer
	Education
	4/17/2023
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

In Texas, "gifted and talented student" means a student who performs at or shows the potential for performing at a remarkably high level of accomplishment when compared to others of the same age, experience, or environment. Some parents have raised concerns about the lack of transparency concerning their school district's gifted and talented programs. While school districts are compelled by the Texas Education Code to maintain a Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), this system does not house information on if the school districts are looking at a complete view of each grade level eligible for the gifted and talented program.

 

S.B. 2403 mandates that school districts list this information along with other comparative statistics on their PEIMS websites.

 

As proposed, S.B. 2403 amends current law relating to required reporting regarding a school district's program for gifted and talented students.

 

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 Subchapter D, Chapter 29, Education Code, by adding Section 29.124, as follows:

 

Sec. 29.124. PEIMS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. Requires each school district to include the following information in the district's Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) report:

 

(1) the name and contact information of the district administrator responsible for ensuring that the district is in compliance with Subchapter D (Educational Programs for Gifted and Talented Students);

 

(2) whether the district uses data from an entire grade level to identify gifted and talented students; and

 

(3) if applicable, the grade levels for which the district identifies gifted and talented students as described by Subdivision (2).

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 39.306, Education Code, by amending Subsection (d-1) and adding Subsection (d-2), as follows:

 

(d-1) Requires that the comparison provided by the Texas Education Agency under Subsection (d) include a comparison of college, career, and military readiness achievement between students served in a program for gifted and talented students and students served in other programs.

 

(d-2) Creates this subsection from existing text.

 

SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2023�2024 school year.

 

SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2023.