The Senate moved two major pieces of legislation impacting schools Wednesday, May 26. HB 1525, also known as the HB 3 cleanup bill, was passed out of the chamber with 23 amendments. Highlights of the bill as passed out of the Senate include:
- Removes the requirement that districts “reserve” 40% of ESSER III funds until the 2024-25 school year and supplant with local funds
- Continues to cap Formula Transition Grant funding at $400 million per year
- Restores GT allotment funding
- Maintains language from the House version that adds the small and mid-sized adjustment to the basic allotment for calculating CTE funding
- Adds outcomes-based bonuses tied to STAAR
- Adds language to streamline staff development requirements
- Tiers weights for purposes of the Fast Growth Allotment and includes eligibility for those districts that would have qualified for the allotment under current law
- Requires a class-size ratio of 22:1 for pre-K
- Extends grants for autism and dyslexia
- Allows uncertified teachers eligibility to receive the Teacher Incentive Allotment
HB 1525 is now headed to conference committee, where representatives of both chambers will work out their differences and bring the bill back to each chamber for an up or down vote.
HB 1468, the bill extending virtual learning options, also passed the Senate with amendments. Highlights of the bill as passed by the Senate include:
- Requires school districts offering these programs to maintain a C rating in their most recent state accountability ratings
- Increases the enrollment cap from 10% to 25%
- Exempts students from the 90% rule
- Moves the sunset date from 2023 to 2027
- Prohibits districts from requiring teachers to provide remote instruction to students
- Requires teachers providing remote instruction to students to receive training in remote instruction
HB 1468 is also headed to conference committee, where representatives of both chambers will work out their differences and bring the bill back to each chamber for an up or down vote.
We will continue to provide updates as these bills move through the process.
