House Committee on Public Education - 84th R.S. (2015)

Committee:	House Public Education
Title:	Interim Report
Subjects:	Broadband infrastructure | Career preparedness | Educational accountability | Educational technology | Gifted and talented programs | Middle school students | Middle schools | Teacher-student relationships |
Library Call Number:	L1836.84 Ed84h
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View report [18 pages]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Examine the accessibility to broadband services for schools, libraries, and institutions of higher education. Study the feasibility and affordability of providing scalable broadband to schools and other public institutions. Research federal and state funding opportunities to support increased access to broadband. Review innovative efforts by school districts to integrate technology in the classroom. Explore ways to enhance high-tech digital learning opportunities in the classroom to improve student achievement and fulfill future workforce demands.
2.	Review current policies and rules to protect students from inappropriate teacher-student relationships. Examine efforts by the Texas Education Agency, school districts, law enforcement and the courts to investigate and prosecute educators for criminal conduct. Recommend needed improvements to promote student safety, including examining current criminal penalties, superintendent reporting requirements, teacher certification sanctions and the documentation provided in school district separation agreements. Review school employee training and educational efforts to promote student safety.
3.	Examine partnerships between higher education institutions, public school districts, and workforce that promote postsecondary readiness. Provide coordination recommendations to ensure vocational, career, and technical education programs are more accessible. Determine the most effective ways to invest in these partnerships and programs to direct at-risk students to stable career paths. Examine current rules and laws limiting employers from providing meaningful internships, apprenticeships, and other opportunities. Consider new methods to finance workforce training programs and associated assets in high schools and postsecondary schools, including ways to reduce or eliminate these costs and options to incentivize businesses to invest in training equipment for schools. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Economic & Small Business Development)
4.	Review the state's current education policies and initiatives regarding middle grades. Make recommendations to ensure a comprehensive, research-based state strategy for preparing students at the middle grades for high school retention, success, and postsecondary readiness. This review should include an examination of school-based strategies and best practices that encourage at-risk youth to finish school.
5.	Review current public education programs that address the needs of high performing students. Identify the adequacy of these programs statewide in meeting the needs of this specific student group and explore additional means to promote high quality programs designed to meet the educational needs of these students. Study ways to increase the recognition of the performance of higher performing students on test-based and non-test based measures. Examine whether the current and proposed state accountability systems adequately promote districts’ addressing the needs of students across the performance spectrum, including those students significantly outperforming their peers. Recommend whether the academic performance of high achieving students should be specifically addressed as a separate indicator in the accountability system.
6.	Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction and the implementing of relevant legislation passed by the 84th Legislature, specifically including HB 4, HB 743, HB 2205, and SB 149. In conducting this oversight, the committee should: a. consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; b. identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate; c. determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and d. identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.
Supporting documents
Committee:	House Public Education
Title:	Committee meeting handouts, April 7, 2015 (School finance - HB 1759 Committee Substitute; Legislative Budget Board, Total Maintenance and Operations (M&O) Revenue Comparison for School Districts between Current Law (Model 150) and Model 68771, Fiscal Years 2016-2017; Summary Information - Model 68771 CSHB1759, 84RS)
Library Call Number:
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View document [101 pages  File size: 1,432 kb]
Committee:	House Public Education
Title:	Committee meeting handouts and testimony, May 11, 2016 (Broadband and instructional technology, inappropriate teacher-student relationships)
Library Call Number:
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View document [75 pages  File size: 5,747 kb]
Committee:	House Public Education
Title:	Committee meeting handouts and testimony, Joint hearing of House Committees on Appropriations and Public Education, September 28, 2016 (School finance system, litigation, and revenue overview; Additional State Aid for Tax Reduction; Recapture; District adjustments, Cost of Education Index)
Library Call Number:
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View document [326 pages  File size: 43,618 kb]
Committee:	House Public Education
Title:	Committee meeting handouts and testimony, Joint hearing of House Committees on Appropriations and Public Education, September 29, 2016 (School finance, continued: Student adjustments; School facilities; School finance options for the 85th session)
Library Call Number:
Session:	84th R.S. (2015)
Online version:	View document [254 pages  File size: 34,222 kb]

Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.