HBA-LJP H.B. 1804 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1804 By: Salinas Higher Education 3/18/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Comprehensive information on the performance of students statewide could help educators to create curriculums that improve the performance of students who are performing below grade level standards. The Education Productivity Council in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin (council) is a group of university researchers that work with public school personnel to improve education at all levels. House Bill 1804 requires the council to develop a database of information on the performance of students from kindergarten through higher education. 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 House Bill 1804 amends the Education Code to authorize The Educational Productivity Council (council) in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin to develop a database of information on the performance of students attending public primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education (institutions) that can be used to: _assist public school teachers and instructors at institutions in providing appropriate instruction to students; and _ensure that each student who performs below grade level on a subject in the required public school curriculum or unsuccessfully in a course in the required undergraduate core curriculum is identified so that the student receives academic assistance and to reduce the number of students required to enroll in developmental courses or programs under the Texas Academic Skills Program. The bill authorizes the council to consult with educators at public primary and secondary schools and institutions and any other experts to develop the database. The bill requires the council, on written request, to make information in the database available to a student's teacher or instructor, or to an administrator employed by the school, school district, or institution in which the student is enrolled. The bill also provides that for the purposes of the database, employees of the council are considered state school officials and are subject to federal law governing the release or access to any personally identifiable information in education records. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.