The Speaker’s office released interim charges for the Texas House. Some of the charges impacting public schools are below.
Public Education Committee
Monitoring: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
- HB 1605, relating to instructional material and technology, the adoption of essential knowledge and skills for certain public school foundation curriculum subjects, and the extension of additional state aid to school districts for the provision of certain instructional materials; authorizing a fee;
- HB 2209, relating to establishing the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program and creating an allotment and outcomes bonus under the Foundation School Program to support the program; and
- SB 2124, relating to an advanced mathematics program for public school students in middle school.
Educational Opportunity: Consider issues and matters to increase educational opportunities in Texas to ensure that students and families have increased options to attend a high-quality school, regardless of circumstance. Evaluate the use of education savings accounts in other states and make recommendations for a Texas program, including suggestions on eligibility and prioritization of applicants.
Teacher Certifications: Examine the causes for and the impact to student outcomes of the increasing number of newly hired Texas teachers who are not certified by the State Board for Educator Certification. Make recommendations to enhance opportunities for uncertified teachers to become certified and strengthen parental rights and notifications.
Early Literacy and Numeracy Outcomes: Evaluate opportunities to improve students’ foundational early literacy and numeracy outcomes in Pre-Kindergarten through the third grade. Study best practices for identifying students requiring reading and math intervention and providing evidence-based intervention strategies. Recommend changes and evaluate investments to increase the number of students achieving reading and math proficiency by the end of third grade.
Appropriations Committee
Cross-Agency Funding Efficiencies: Examine cross-article funding streams within the Texas Education Agency, such as School Health and Related Services (SHARS), determine where overlapping programs are best fit and funded, and make policy recommendations to improve transparency and accountability between agencies.
Higher Education Committee
Strong School-to-Workforce Pipeline: Evaluate the alignment of postsecondary success incentives across PK-12 and higher education systems, as well as the tri-agency collaboration between PK-12, postsecondary education, and workforce to advance the “Building a Talent Strong Texas” goals outlined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
International Relations & Economic Development Committee
Early Childhood Education Industry: Evaluate the current state of the early childhood education industry. Review current early childhood policies and evaluate their effectiveness, including barriers to enter the Child Care Services program.
Pensions, Investments & Financial Services Committee
Monitoring: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
- SB 10, relating to certain benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
- ESG: Examine the ways in which environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies are contradictory to fiduciary duties and the resultant detrimental effect on investors.
State Affairs Committee
Economic Challenges Impacting Insurance Premiums: Examine the impact of current economic challenges on the escalating costs of insurance premiums, including factors contributing to the withdrawal of insurance providers from certain markets. Investigate solutions to help Texans more easily and affordably obtain property and casualty insurance coverage. Evaluate long-term strategies for shifting from state-funded insurance programs to sustainable private market alternatives.
Review TWIA Funding: Review current state policy as it relates to the operation and funding of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), including state agency capacity to effectively oversee TWIA. Evaluate the ability of state agencies and instrumentalities to secure the seacoast region’s ability to produce energy and advance science and technology, including the role of reinsurance in maintaining economic security and ways to reduce the burden of reinsurance purchases on energy production and scientific and technological advances, while maintaining adequate coverage for policyholders.
Ways & Means Committee
Monitoring: Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
- HJR 2/SB 2 (88 S2), relating to providing property tax relief through the public school finance system, exemptions, limitations on appraisals and taxes, and property tax administration; authorizing the imposition of a fee;
- HB 5, the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act, relating to agreements authorizing a limitation on taxable value of certain property to provide for the creation of jobs and the generation of state and local tax revenue; authorizing fees; authorizing penalties; and
- HB 796, relating to the creation and maintenance by an appraisal district of a publicly available Internet database of information regarding protest hearings conducted by the appraisal review board established for the district.
Property Tax Relief: Study and make recommendations to build on the historic property tax relief provided by the 88th Legislature, including:
- Whether Texas’ economic performance and state tax revenues support further compression of school district tax rates;
- Whether to extend the limitation on appraised value of certain non-homestead real property past the current expiration date of December 31, 2026;
- Whether to maintain the homestead exemption at its current rate; and
- Whether to further reduce the limit on appraised value of homesteads
Youth Health & Safety Committee
Monitoring: Monitor the programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
- HB 3, relating to measures for ensuring public school safety, including the development and implementation of purchases relating to and funding for public school safety and security requirements and the provision of safety-related resources; and
- HB 18, relating to the protection of minors from harmful, deceptive, or unfair trade practices in connection with the use of certain digital services and electronic devices, including the use and transfer of electronic devices to students by a public school.
Behavioral Health Services for At-Risk Youth: Evaluate programs and services currently available to children and families that are either involved with, or at high risk for becoming involved with, the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Study the current barriers for accessing community-based behavioral health services for children with intense behavioral health needs, with an emphasis on ensuring that parents do not have to give up custody of children to gain access to services.
View the complete list of House interim charges.
