HBA-KMH H.C.R. 117 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.C.R. 117
By: Keffer
Higher Education
4/1/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

It is generally accepted that a four-year college education offers the best
foundation for a successful career, but experience has shown that many
students choose not to attend a four-year institution directly out of high
school, instead choosing to attend a technical school or pursue a two-year
associates's degree from a junior college.  The needs of these students,
with respect to developing marketable skills, are different from what the
current secondary and baccalaureate education system provides. 

While the Texas Education Code allows for career and technology education
enrichment curricula to be offered, many school districts have opted not to
make these curricula available, either for financial reasons or due to the
perception that they are a student "dumping ground."  If organized
correctly by using area-specific data from the Texas Workforce Commission,
voluntary career and technology academics can be a bonus to the high school
diploma, rather than a student "dumping ground" and upon graduation,
students with parental guidance can focus  on a college degree or have the
ability to further expand their career and technology academics through a
technical college, internship, or apprenticeship. 

In conjunction with a rigorous academic program, voluntary career and
technology education programs in Texas high schools maximize students'
productivity, provide leadership skills, and better prepare graduates to
take advantage of the many employment opportunities that are being created
in today's demanding and increasingly technology-based marketplace.
Voluntary career and technology education programs benefit not only
graduates of these programs but also the technical schools and community
colleges that provide high-level, job-specific, technical training and the
businesses and industries on the leading edge of the state's economic
growth that are increasingly reliant on a well-educated, highly skilled,
and technologically sophisticated workforce. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

H.C.R. 117 declares that the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby
supports and encourages the future development and expansion of voluntary
career and technology academic programs throughout our Texas high schools;
and  

H.C.R. 117 further declares that the legislature encourage cooperative
partnership arrangements among Texas high schools, local community colleges
and universities, economic development councils, and business leaders to
accept the challenge for the productive future and economic wellbeing of
Texas.