The House Public Education Committee will hold a second hearing this week. The committee will meet starting at 8 a.m., Thursday, April 20, 2023, to hear testimony on 21 bills. As already noted in a Capitol Watch Alert earlier today, the committee will also meet at 8 a.m., Tuesday, April 18, to hear testimony on these 20 bills.
Following are the bills on Thursday’s agenda:
- HB 83 (Zwiener, et al.) would authorize the use of a writing portfolio assessment to assess writing performance for public school students.
- HB 651 (Allison, et al.) relates to the inclusion of Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps and Leadership Officer Training Corps programs as public school career and technology education programs and the indicator of achievement for military readiness under the public school accountability system.
- HB 1572 (Dutton) relates to instructional facilities funding for certain open-enrollment charter schools. Currently, open-enrollment charter schools are entitled to receive funding per student in average daily attendance in an amount equal to the guaranteed level of state and local funds per student per cent of tax effort multiplied by the lesser of two rates: the state average interest and sinking fund tax rate imposed by school districts for the current year OR a rate that would result in a total amount for charters schools equal to $60 million. HB 1572 would remove the option for a rate that would result in a total amount for charter schools equal to $60 million and would make charter school instructional facilities funding based on the state average interest and sinking fund tax rate imposed by school districts for the current year.
- HB 2285 (Noble, et al.) relates to the authority of certain independent school districts to change the terms for members of the districts’ board of trustees.
- HB 2615 (Gates) relates to the operation by a school district of a vocational education program to provide eligible high school students with vocational and educational training under a plan for the issuance of a high school diploma and the application of certain student-based allotments under the public school finance system.
- HB 3028 (Meyer) relates to a credit for prepayment of the amount required to be paid by a school district for the purchase of attendance credit under the public school finance system.
- HB 3610 (Clardy) relates to a seizure management and treatment plan for the care to be provided by a public school to a student with a seizure disorder.
- HB 3614 (Hefner) would allow school districts to employ chaplains to perform the duties of school counselors.
- HB 3708 (Buckley) would create an allotment under the Foundation School Program for school districts that allow non-enrolled students to participate in University Interscholastic League activities.
- HB 3832 (Janie Lopez) removes a requirement that schools/districts notify the commissioner of the disposal of certain instructional materials.
- HB 3928 (Toth, et al.) relates to a student’s eligibility for special education services provided by a school district, including services for dyslexia and related disorders.
- HB 4210 (Lujan) relates to the appointment and terms of members of a board of trustees of a military reservation school district.
- HB 4358 (Allison) would include digital teaching in the micro-credential certification program for public school educator continuing education.
- HB 4520 (Cody Harris, et al.) relates to employment and retirement consequences for an educator convicted of or placed on deferred adjudication community supervision for the sale, distribution, or display of harmful material to a minor.
- HB 4522 (Lozano) relates to the information that must be included in a school district bond election proposition.
- HB 4656 (Thimesch, et al.) relates to the creation of a temporary teaching certificate for teachers certified by other states.
- HB 5167 (Wilson) relates to the regulation of educational opportunity extended to military-connected students in Texas public schools
- HB 1804 (Wilson, et al.) relates to the instructional material list and supplemental instructional materials adopted by the State Board of Education. This bill was added to the agenda after the initial hearing notice.
- HB 4870 (Howard) relates to requiring an opt-out policy for accelerated mathematics courses for certain students. This bill was added to the agenda after the initial hearing notice.
- HB 4402 (Keith Bell, et al.) relates to the changes to the high school graduation requirements and accountability rating system for assessing campus and district performance. This bill was added to the agenda April 17.
- HB 4514 (Allison) relates to public school accountability, including the assessment of academic performance, and district and campus performance standards and sanctions. This bill was added to the agenda April 17.
- HB 3141 (Ken King) relates to the provision of virtual education in public schools and to certain waivers and modifications by the commissioner of education to the method of calculating average daily attendance in an emergency or crisis for purposes of preserving school district funding entitlements under the Foundation School Program during that emergency or crisis; authorizing a fee. This bill was added to the agenda April 18.
Find information on in-person testifying.
Find information on submitting comments related to agenda items electronically.
Watch a live broadcast of the hearing on Thursday.
