Passed the House:
SB 522
by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) and Scott Sanford (R-McKinney) would require the individualized education program for a student with a visual impairment to include instruction in braille unless the student's admission, review, and dismissal committee determines that braille is not an appropriate literacy medium for the student. It passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar.
SB 608
by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) and Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) is the sunset bill for the School Land Board, which continues the board until 2031. It passed the House by a vote of 142 to 1.
SB 668
by Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and Gary VanDeaver would make several changes to the public education system involving reporting on educator preparation, homeless students, charters and completion. One floor amendment was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 132 to 2.
SB 1276
by Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) and John Frullo (R-Lubbock) would require agreements between school districts and institutions of higher education to provide a dual credit program to (in addition to other requirements already required):
- Establish common advising strategies and terminology related to dual credit and college readiness;
- Provide for the alignment of endorsements offered by the district, and dual credit courses offered under the agreement that apply towards those endorsements, with postsecondary pathways and credentials at the institution and industry certifications; and
- Identify tools, including tools developed by the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or the Texas Workforce Commission to assist school counselors, students, and families in selecting endorsements offered by the district and dual credit courses under the agreement.
It passed the House by a vote of 143 to 3
.
SB 1376
by Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) and Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) would expand the master teacher grant program from reading teachers only to include reading, mathematics, technology, and science teachers; and would make some other non-substantive changes in reporting requirements. It passed the House Friday night. House members have until Saturday night to record a vote.
SB 1557
by Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) would require the Commissioner of Education to designate a school district campus as a Purple Star Campus if the campus applies for designation and takes actions to assist military-connected students. It passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar.
SB 1679
by Royce West (D-Dallas) and John Turner (D-Dallas) would clarify that a child that is eligible for enrollment in a pre-kindergarten class at the age of three remains eligible for enrollment at the age of four. It passed the House by a vote of 97 to 43.
SB 1746
by Borris Miles (D-Houston) and James White (R-Hillister) would add students who have been incarcerated or have a parent or guardian who has been incarcerated to the definition of students at risk of dropping out. It passed the House by a vote of 13 to 5.
SB 2018
by Royce West (D-Dallas) and Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) would abolish dissolution committees established to abolish county boards of education and transfer the duties to the commissioners court of the county in which the county board of education is located. It passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar.
SB 2075
by Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) and Rick Miller (R-Sugar Land) would require the Texas Education Agency to audit and monitor school districts to ensure they are complying with dyslexia screening and testing requirements. It passed the House on Friday night. House members have until Saturday night to record a vote.
Passed the Senate:
HB 18
by Four Price (R-Amarillo) and Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would add positive behavior interventions and support into each school district's improvement plan; increase training and curriculum requirements on mental health issues; and expand school counseling programs for students with mental health conditions. It passed the Senate by a vote of 23 to 8.
HB 19
by Four Price (R-Amarillo) and Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would require local mental health authorities to employ a non-physician mental health professional to serve as a mental health and substance use resource for school districts; and would require the authority to collaborate with local regional education service centers. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 28 to 3.
HB 109
by Armando "Mando" Martinez (D-Weslaco) and Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D-McAllen) would apply the statute prohibiting classes on Memorial Day to open-enrollment charter schools. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 111
by Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso) and Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would require training for school employees to include prevention of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of children with significant cognitive disabilities in both educational and non-educational settings. It passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 293
by Ken King (R-Canadian) and Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) would exempt school district chief financial officers or investment officers from investment training requirements if the school district does not invest district funds or only deposits those funds in interest-bearing deposit accounts or certificates of deposits. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate on the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 403
by Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) and Joan Huffman (R-Houston) would require training for school superintendents and trustees regarding sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other maltreatment of children. It passed the Senate on the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 638
by Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller) and Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) would establish procedures for a high school diploma to be issued posthumously to a student that dies while enrolled in the school district. It passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 684
by Travis Clardy (R-Nacogdoches) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would require school nurses and other school district employees to complete an agency-approved online course on managing students with seizures, seizure recognition and related first aid. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 674
by Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) and Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would require school districts to report to the Commissioner of Education information on the district's reliance on education service centers in complying with federal and state education laws and rules and indicate the specific federal or state education laws or rules for which compliance is the most burdensome and expensive. It passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 692
by James White (R-Hillister) and Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would prohibit a homeless student from being placed in out-of-school suspension. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate on the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 906
by Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) and Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) would establish the Collaborative Task Force on Public School Mental Health Services to evaluate mental health services to students, parents or family members or school or school district employees. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 29 to 2.
HB 1070
by Four Price (R-Amarillo) and Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would require additional reporting regarding the number of school district employees receiving mental health first aid training. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 1597
by Stan Lambert (R-Abilene) and Dawn Buckingham (R-Lakeway) would allow a student whose parent or guardian is an active-duty military member to establish residency in a school district by providing a copy of a military order requiring the parent's transfer to a military installation in or adjacent to the district's attendance zone. It passed the Senate unanimously.
Voted and Reported From Committee:
HB 76
by Dan Huberty (R-Katy) and Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) would require high school student athletes to receive a physical exam that includes an electrocardiogram before being allowed to participate in a sports activity. It was reported favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 548
by Terry Canales (D-Edinburg) and Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) would require school districts and charters to report truancy information through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). It was reported favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee and recommended or the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 663
by Ken King (R-Canadian) and Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would provide that for any biennium, the State Board of Education could only issue instructional materials proclamations in which the total estimated cost does not exceed 75 percent of the total amount used to fund technology and instructional materials in that biennium. It was reported favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 706
by Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) and Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) would establish qualifications for a student to receive audiology services under the school health and related services program as a child 20 years of age or younger, with a disability or chronic medical condition, is eligible for Medicaid benefits, and has been prescribed services under an individualized education program. It was reported favorably from the Senate Health & Human Services Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 769
by Sarah Davis (R-Houston) and Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would provide that a school superintendent terminated or resigns in lieu of termination for malfeasance (intentional misconduct or the knowingly improper performance of any act, duty, or responsibility, including unethical or criminal conduct) must get approval from the Commissioner of Education to provide a severance payment to the superintendent. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 808
by Harold Dutton (D-Houston) and Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would provide that public schools with at least 1,000 African American males to be evaluated on campus performance based only on the performance of African American males. It was voted out favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 974
by Will Metcalf (R-Conroe) and Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would require school districts to conduct a safety and security audit once every two years (instead of three years); and would require (instead of allow) school districts to require a person that enters a campus, other than to attend a school sponsored event that is open to the public, to display the person's driver's license or other form of photo identification, and to cross-check the person with the Department of Public Safety's sex offender registry. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 1026
by Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would require the State Board of Education to integrate positive character traits into the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for kindergarten through 12th grade curriculum. It was reported favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 1051
by Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston) and Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would make an adult education program provided under a high school diploma and industry certification charter school a permanent program instead of a pilot program and would be expanded to include adult students, regardless of the student's age. It was voted favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 1131
by Sheryl Cole (D-Austin) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would allow school districts to borrow money from the Texas Public Finance Authority and to issue bonds and notes to purchase or lease equipment and for costs associated with maintenance, repair, rehabilitation of renovation of school district facilities; and would establish the School District Equipment and Improvement Fund administered by the comptroller for proceeds of the bonds to be used to fund equipment and facilities and repay bond obligations. It was reported favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 2184
by Alma Allen (D-Houston) and Joan Huffman (R-Houston) would establish procedures to transition a student from an alternative education program to a regular classroom. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 2195
by Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas) and Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would require school districts to include in its multihazard emergency operations plan a policy for responding to an active shooter emergency. It was voted out favorably from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 2210
by Keith Bell (R-Forney) and Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) would exempt students receiving residential services in a state hospital whose parents do not reside in the school district from the district's accountability ratings. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 2526
by Jeff Leach (R-Plano) and Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would require schools to admit students if the person and either parent reside in a residence homestead located on a parcel of property any part of which is located in the school district. It was voted favorably from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 2984
by Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) and Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would require kindergarten through 8th-grade TEKS to include coding, computer programming, computational thinking, and cybersecurity in the technology applications curriculum. It was reported favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 3011
by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) and Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating to provide school districts with a copy of all source data submitted by institutions of higher education that the Texas Education Agency uses to consider in determining the district's accreditation status and performance ratings. It was voted favorably from the Senate Higher Education Committee.
HB 3145
by Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) and Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would clarify the rights of parents to attend school activities including school lunches, performances, and field trips. It was voted out favorably from the Senate State Affairs Committee.
HB 3435
by Rhetta Andrews Bowers (D-Rowlett) and Nathan Johnson (D-Dallas) would designate March 1st as Texas Girls in STEM Day to celebrate and encourage the participation of girls in the fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 3650
by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) and Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would require a memorandum of understanding between a school district and an institution of higher education to provide a dual credit program to consider the use of free or low-cost open educational resources in the courses offered under the program. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 3906
by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) and Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would make several changes regarding student assessments. It was voted out favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee.
HB 4205
by Tom Craddick (R-Midland) and Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) would allow the Commissioner of Education to repurpose a closed campus if it is operated in partnership with a nonprofit organization that has a successful history of operating a school district campus or open-enrollment charter school serving 10,000 or more students and has been assigned an overall performance rating of B or higher. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 4310
by Harold Dutton (D-Houston) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would require school districts to allow sufficient time for teachers to teach and for students to learn the required curriculum; and would prohibit a school district from penalizing a teacher that does not follow a designated scope and sequence, if the teacher determines that students need additional time or less time to demonstrate proficiency in a specific set of standards. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 4388
by Jim Murphy (R-Houston) and Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would require the State Board of Education to provide quarterly financial reports to the School Land Board on the permanent school fund assets and funds for which the State Board of Education is responsible. It was reported favorably from the Senate Education Committee.
SB 11
by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) and Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood) would establish several new programs and requirements related to improving public school safety and student mental health. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 232
by Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) and Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) would require school districts to notify parents of 9th - 12th grade students that are not required to complete an Algebra II course to graduate under the foundation school program the potential consequences to the student of not completing an Algebra II course include potential impact on eligibility for automatic college admission; and financial aid including the TEXAS grant program and the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Consent Calendar.
SB 293
by Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso) would require the State Board of Educator Certification to adopt rules specifying what each educator is expected to know and be able to do, particularly regarding students with disabilities. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 426
by Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) and Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso) would require school counselors to spend at least 80 percent of their total work time on direct counseling program services. Time spent in administering assessment instruments would not be considered a direct counseling service. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 504
by Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) and Michelle Beckley (D-Carrollton) would allow postsecondary education and career counseling academies to include information regarding social-emotional learning and indicators of behavioral issues. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Consent Calendar.
SB 686
by Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) and Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin) would require school districts to provide a one-half credit course in personal financial literacy that includes instruction on completing the application for federal student aid (current law requires school districts to offer it as an elective). It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 722
by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) and Dan Huberty (R-Humble) would prohibit a school district's board of trustees from making a severance payment to a superintendent in an amount greater than one year's salary under the superintendent's terminated contract. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 723
by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) and Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) would require school districts to post the annual compensation received by the superintendent on the district's Internet website. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 869
by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) and Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) would require school districts and charters to base their policy for care of students at risk for anaphylaxis on the most recent "Guidelines for the Care of Students With Food Allergies At-Risk for Anaphylaxis" developed by the commissioner of health and human services. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1016
by Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) and Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) would require the Texas Education Agency to review professional development training requirements every four years. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1284
by Borris Miles (D-Houston) and John Raney (R-Bryan) would require the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to establish a competitive grant program to promote early literacy and award grants for the implementation or expansion of literacy programs. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee and recommended.
SB 1374
by Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) and Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) would authorize school districts to allow a student to enroll concurrently in Algebra I and geometry to satisfy math curriculum requirements. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Consent Calendar.
SB 1390
by Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) and Steve Allison (R-San Antonio) would require suicide prevention training to be provided to all school employees. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1412
by Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) and Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) would allow low-performing schools to submit an accelerated campus excellence turnaround plan. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1453
by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) and Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) would authorize school districts to allow students enrolled in a course that requires the use of a graphing calculator to use the student's cellular telephone that provides the same functionality, unless the district makes a graphing calculator available to the student at no cost. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1454
by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) and Dan Huberty (R-Humble) would prescribe procedures for closing an open-enrollment charter school and liquidation of funds. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1776
by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) and Keith Bell (R-Forney) would require school districts and charters to offer a high school elective course for one-half credit on the founding principles of the Unites States. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2042
by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) and Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) would require the Texas Education Agency to evaluate the industry-recognized credentials and certificates that are currently being offered to public high school students through career and technology education programs and identify any unmet needs in CTE programs in each region of the state. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Consent Calendar.
SB 2073
by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) and Ken King (R-Canadian) would require school districts that reduce the number of instruction days for students to give a corresponding reduction of teacher in-service days. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee and recommended for the Local & Consent Calendar.
SB 2117
by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) and Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) would clarify that for school district campuses operating under a charter partnership, the campus performance rating received during the first two school years of the partnership is included in calculating the campus performance rating in consecutive school years. It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2180
by Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) and Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) would require kindergarten through 8th-grade TEKS to include coding, computer programming, computational thinking, and cybersecurity in the technology applications curriculum. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2282
by Royce West (D-Dallas) and Shawn Thierry (D-Houston) would add mental health services to the list of services that a school district can provide through a cooperative health care program and school-based health centers. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2283
by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) and Harold Dutton (D-Houston) would prohibit a person from serving as a school board member if the person has been convicted of a felony or a Class A misdemeanor. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2285
by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) and Jarvis Johnson (D-Houston) would establish a procedure to challenge a data or calculation error or inaccuracy attributable to a school district or charter if the inaccuracy caused the district or school to have a lower academic or financial accountability rating. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
This Week
:
House Calendar:
SB 139
by Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso) and Joe Moody (D-El Paso) would require the Texas Education Agency to develop a notice indicating the change made from 2016 to 2017 in reporting requirements for school districts and charters regarding eligibility for special education services. It is on Monday's House calendar.
SB 2293
by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) and Harold Dutton (D-Houston) would provide that an open-enrollment charter school is a political subdivision and the officers and members of the governing body of the open-enrollment charter school are considered to be officials of the political subdivision and employees of the charter school considered to be public employees. It is on Monday's House calendar.
Senate Calendar:
HB 165
by Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) and Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) would allow special education students to earn an endorsement on the student's transcript by successfully completing curriculum and endorsement requirements identified by the State Board of Education, with or without modification by the student's admission, review, and dismissal committee. It is on Monday's Senate Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 330
by Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would exclude students who have suffered a condition, injury or illness that requires substantial medical care and leaves the student unable to attend school from the dropout and completion rate calculations. It is on Monday's Senate Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 391
by Cesar Blanco (D-El Paso) and Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would require school districts to provide instructional materials to a student in printed book format if the student does not have reliable access to technology at the student's home. It is on Monday's Senate Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 396
by Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would allow funding in the instructional materials and technology fund to be used to pay for inventory of software or systems for storing and accessing instructional materials and for analyzing the usage and effectiveness of the instructional materials. It is on Monday's Senate Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 455
by Alma Allen (D-Houston) and Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would require Texas Education Agency to develop model policies on the recess period during the school day that encourages constructive, age-appropriate outdoor playtime that maximizes the effectiveness of outdoor physical activity. It is on Monday's Senate Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 678
by Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City) and Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) would add a course in American Sign Language completed at an elementary school to count for one credit toward an elective course for graduation. It is on Monday's Senate Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 963
by Cecil Bell, Jr. (R-Magnolia) and Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would allow the CTE allotment for two or more advanced career and technology education courses to apply to advanced technology applications courses. It is on Sunday's Senate Intent calendar.
HB 1244
by Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) and Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would require school districts to administer a civics test to a student in the foundation high school program and make it a requirement for high school graduation. It is on Monday's Senate Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 2424
by Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) and Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would require the State Board of Educator Certification to establish a program to issue micro-credentials in fields of study related to an educator's certification class. It is on Sunday's Senate Intent calendar.
HB 3007
by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) and Beverly Powell (R-Burleson) would require Texas Education Agency to provide school districts with a copy of all source data submitted to the agency by an entity other than the district that the agency considered in determining the district's or a campus' accountability rating, prior to the initial release of accountability ratings for a school year. It is on Monday's Senate Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 4611
and HJR 151 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) and Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would propose a constitutional amendment allowing increased distributions to the available school fund. They are on Sunday's Senate Intent calendar.
