HBA-MPM, JEK C.S.H.B. 660 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 660 By: Seaman Public Education 4/18/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE While career opportunities in industry and technology continue to develop in Texas, some school districts are decreasing their budgets for career and technology training programs. The required enrichment curriculum for school districts includes career and technology education, but most schools focus their efforts on preparing students for four year university degrees. Many students seeking employment or postsecondary career and technology training after high school may not be fully prepared for this training or employment. Texas has made progress in technology and industrial technology education through the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills program and the 2000-2002 State Plan for Career and Technology Education. C.S.H.B. 660 includes career and technology education in the objectives of public education and sets forth provisions to recognize and expand the importance of career and technology education. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill expressly delegates rulemaking authority to the State Board of Education in SECTION 3 (Section 28.002, Education Code) of this bill. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 660 amends the Education Code to expand the objectives of public education to include programs of study for broad career concentrations in areas of agriculture science technology, arts and communication, business education, family and consumer science, health occupations technology, trade and industry, and technology education (SECTION 1). The bill establishes and sets forth the composition of the Career and Technology Education Advisory Board (advisory board), and requires the advisory board to assist the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in developing the state plan for career and technology education and on request school districts in developing career and technology programs (SECTION 4). The bill requires the joint advisory committee for the State Board of Education (SBOE) and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to coordinate with the advisory board and the commissioner of higher education as well as SBOE in certain matters related to career and technology education (SECTION 7). The bill requires the board of trustees of each independent school district (trustee board) to include business and industry representatives in district-level and campus-level planning and decision-making committees (SECTION 2). The bill authorizes each district to include instruction in career awareness as provided by SBOE rule in the career and technology education curriculum. The bill provides that a district is not required to develop a new course or purchase additional textbooks to provide this instruction. The bill sets forth the objectives of career awareness instruction provided to students at the middle or junior high school level (SECTION 3). C.S.H.B. 660 authorizes the trustee board to develop and offer a program under which a student may receive specific education in a career and technology profession that leads to postsecondary education or meets business or industry standards. The bill authorizes the trustee board to offer an award for distinguished achievement in career and technology education which may be stamped or notated on the student's transcript (SECTION 5). The bill amends the Labor Code to require the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) in cooperation with TEA, the comptroller, and THECB to prepare and make available to the public a list of all of the awards and incentives available for business participation in career and technology education training programs (SECTION 10). C.S.H.B. 660 amends the Education Code to require a trustee board to consider the state plan for career and technology education when it is developing its own career and technology education program, and authorizes a trustee board to contract with another school district, a postsecondary educational institution, a trade or technical school, a local business, a local institution of higher education, or local workforce development board for assistance in developing or operating the program. The bill authorizes a program to provide education in areas of technology unique to the local area (SECTION 5). The bill authorizes a trustee board to provide a reasonable amount of insurance to protect a business that contracts with the district for a career and technology education program from liability (SECTION 5). C.S.H.B. 660 encourages the governor to present a proclamation or certificate to each member of the business or industry community who successfully assists in the provision of a career and technology education program as determined by TWC and TEA (SECTION 6). C.S.H.B. 660 authorizes the trustee board of a district with a wealth per student that exceeds the equalized wealth level to reduce the district's wealth per student by providing career and technology education to students of one or more other districts with career and technology education, assuming that the school district's voters approve and the commissioner certifies the agreement (SECTION 9). The bill provides that the commissioner determines how students serving an agreement under a career and technology education program will be counted in the weighted average daily attendance of the district (SECTION 8). The bill amends the Labor Code to authorize the use of the skills development fund to provide career and technology education and training (SECTION 11). The bill amends the Government Code to authorize a provider of employment-related training to apply for a Business Development--Smart Jobs Fund Program grant for the purpose of providing career and technology education training (SECTIONS 12 and 13). EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. SECTIONS 1, 2, and 5 take effect on passage and apply beginning with the 20012002 school year, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, on September 1, 2001. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 660 differs from the original bill by removing the requirement that the State Board of Education (SBOE) identify the essential knowledge and skills of career and technology education as necessary for each school and the requirement that each school district provide a career and technology education curriculum by the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year. The substitute removes the provision requiring the commissioner of education (commissioner) to appoint six members of the business and industry community to serve with SBOE as members of the State Board for Career and Technology Education. The substitute removes the requirement that regional education service centers cooperate with area institutions of higher education and local workforce development boards to develop academic and career and technology education programs. The substitute removes the provision that each open-enrollment charter must describe any career and technology education program to be offered. The substitute removes the requirement that the State Board for Educator Certification adopt rules providing flexible options regarding any field experience or internship required for certification. The substitute removes the authorization given to the commissioner to permit a school district to substitute a career and technology course for a course in the required curriculum. The substitute authorizes rather than requires a school district to include instruction in career awareness and specifies that the district is not required to develop a new course or purchase additional textbooks to provide such instruction (SECTION 3). The substitute differs from the original bill by modifying the composition of the Career and Technology Education Advisory Board (advisory board). The substitute specifies that advisory board members may not receive reimbursement for travel expenses incurred while conducting advisory board business (SECTION 4). The substitute requires the joint advisory committee for SBOE and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to coordinate with the advisory board and the commissioner of education as well as SBOE in certain matters related to career and technology education (SECTION 7). The substitute removes the provision that entitled a student to $1,000 for receiving an award for distinguished achievement in career and technology education and related provisions.