On Thursday, March 10, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan issued House interim committee charges for the 87th Legislature. “The interim charges will help guide the House heading into the 88th Legislature, as committees gain input from Texans, research potential legislative solutions, and recommend policies for the full House Chamber,” Phelan wrote in the memo to House members.
Following is a summary of the committees with charges that impact public education. See the full list of interim charges.
House Committee on Public Education
- Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th 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 1525 and HB 3 (86R), relating to public school finance and public education;
- HB 4545, relating to assessment of public school students and providing accelerated instruction;
- SB 1365, relating to public school organization, accountability, and fiscal management;
- SB 1716, relating to supplemental special education services and instructional materials for certain public school students; and
- HB 3906 (86)R, relating to the assessment of public school students, including the development and administration of assessment instruments, and technology permitted for use by students.
- Complete study of assigned charges related to the Texas-Mexico border issued in June 2021.
- Identify and examine efforts to ensure that parents have a meaningful role in their children’s education. Recommend necessary changes in both independent school district board and open-enrollment charter governing board governance to protect the right of parents to participate in their child’s education.
- Examine partnerships between K-12, higher education institutions, and employers that promote postsecondary and career readiness and identify current obstacles that public schools, higher education institutions, and employers face. Make recommendations to ensure career and technical education programs, internships, apprenticeships, and other opportunities are more accessible.
- Evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the state’s teacher workforce, and current practices to improve the recruitment, preparation, and retention of high-quality educators. Explore the impact of the educator preparation program regulatory environment. Make recommendations to improve educator recruitment, retention, and preparation throughout the state. (Joint charge with Committee on Higher Education)
- Study the effects of COVID-19 on K-12 learning loss and best practices that exist to address learning loss. Monitor the implementation of state and local plans to address students’ achievement gaps. Make recommendations for supporting the state and local efforts to increase academic development.
- Examine the impact of COVID-19 on students’ mental health, including the availability and workload of mental health professionals across the state and their role in the public school system. Make recommendations to reduce or eliminate existing barriers to providing mental health services in a traditional classroom setting or through teletherapy.
- Study the unfulfilled recommendations from the 2016 Commission on Next Generation Assessments and Accountability. Evaluate the state’s progress on assessments and accountability and consider possible legislation to support the recommendations from the report. Study and recommend measures needed at the state level to prevent unintended consequences to students, campuses, and districts, including changes that could improve the system for students or help public schools serving a disproportionate number of educationally disadvantaged students impacted by the pandemic.
- Monitor and analyze the state policy on curriculum and instructional materials used in public schools.
- Examine the causes and contributors for chronic absenteeism in public schools and its impact on student outcomes. Consider techniques and approaches that have been utilized by public schools to identify students who are chronically absent and return these students to classrooms.
- Review the impact of investments of the Permanent School Fund by the State Board of Education in businesses and funds owned or controlled by the Russian government or Russian nationals, and determine the need for investment restrictions. Consider the impact of any proposed investment restrictions on fund performance.
Other House Interim Charges Relating to Public Education
House Committee on Appropriations
- Review the utilization by the Texas Education Agency and local school districts of federal dollars appropriated from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds made available by the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law No. 116-260) and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law. 117-2) to address students’ instructional loss and mental health challenges.
House Committee on Business & Industry
- Study the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on unemployment trends, hurdles to workforce reentry, and industry-specific disruptions.
House Committee on Elections
- Study the laws related to local ballot initiatives and propositions to assess whether reforms are needed to ensure that ballot language is clear and unambiguous and that the process is fair and consistent.
House Committee on Higher Education
- Review progress toward the goals of the 60x30TX plan, including institutional strategies for responding to changing workforce needs and demands, including workforce education, industry certification, and degree programs to address healthcare shortages.
House Committee on International Relations & Economic Development
- Examine current economic development incentive programs and identify opportunities to enhance job creation in Texas. Make recommendations to promote transparency and enhance effectiveness of such programs.
House Committee on Pensions & Investment
- Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th 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 1585, relating to the operations and functions of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas;
- SB 1444, relating to participation in the uniform group coverage program for active school employees and to a study concerning health coverage for school district employees; and
- Review and evaluate the actuarial soundness of the Employees Retirement System (ERS) and Teacher Retirement System (TRS) pension funds.
- Review the impact of investments by public retirement systems of their endowment and other trust funds in businesses and funds owned or controlled by the Russian government or Russian nationals, and determine the need for investment restrictions. Consider the impact of any proposed investment restrictions on fund performance.
House Committee on State Affairs
- Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th 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 5, relating to the expansion of broadband services to rural areas
House Committee on Ways & Means
- Monitor agencies and programs in the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Actively oversee associated rulemaking and agency actions to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
- HB 2080 and SB 903, relating to taxpayers’ suits;
- SB 2 (86R- the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act of 2019) and related property tax reform legislation passed by the 87th Legislature; and
- Legislation relating to reform of the property tax appraisal system.
- Study and consider methods of providing additional property tax relief, including the use of $3 billion in available American Rescue Plan Act funds that were held for future tax relief by the 87th Legislature, and other sources of revenue. Explore options to reduce business property tax burdens and options for limiting the growth of property tax bills.
- Study Texas’ property tax appraisal system and make appropriate recommendations to improve the appraisal system. The study should include:
- Assessing the accuracy of appraised values and operational effectiveness of appraisal districts;
- Evaluating methods of selecting chief appraisers, appraisal review boards, and appraisal district directors; and
- Evaluating existing appraisal protections for taxpayers and ease of taxpayer participation in the appraisal process.
- Conduct a comprehensive review of the impact of not renewing Chapter 313, Tax Code. Evaluate tax incentives offered by other states and make recommendations for incentivizing manufacturers and other capital-intensive businesses to locate to Texas.
