July 2015 Consent Agenda
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
July 17, 2015
(1) Approval of Nominees to Recommend to the Governor for Service on the Board of Trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
(Committee of the Full Board)
The board of trustees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) is comprised of nine members. Two of the members are appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by two-thirds of the senate, from lists of nominees submitted by the State Board of Education (SBOE). This item provides an opportunity for the SBOE to approve a list of nominees for an appointment to the board of trustees of the TRS to be transmitted to the governor. The six-year term of office of the governor's appointee will expire on August 31, 2021. The list of nominations from SBOE members for the board of trustees of the TRS will be distributed at the meeting. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Government Code, §825.003.
(2) Proposed Repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 117, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Fine Arts, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, and Subchapter C, High School
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
(Committee on Instruction)
This item presents for first reading and filing authorization proposed repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 117, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Fine Arts, Subchapter A, Elementary, Subchapter B, Middle School, and Subchapter C, High School. The proposed repeal would remove the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) adopted effective in 1998 for Kindergarten-Grade 8 and high school fine arts and related implementation language, which will be superseded by Subchapters D, E, and F of this chapter beginning with the 2015-2016 school year. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.
This item presents for first reading and filing authorization the proposed repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 111, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics, Subchapter C, High School, §§111.31-111.37, and Subchapter D, Other High School Mathematics Courses, §111.52, Independent Study in Mathematics (One-Half to One Credit). The proposed repeal would remove the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for high school mathematics courses and related implementation language, which will be superseded by 19 TAC §§111.38-111.45 beginning with the 2015-2016 school year. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.
(4) Proposed Repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 102, Educational Programs, Subchapter A, Grants, §102.1, State Engineering and Science Recruitment Fund (SENSR) Grant Program
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
(Committee on Instruction)
This item presents for first reading and filing authorization proposed repeal of 19 TAC Chapter 102, Educational Programs, Subchapter A, Grants, §102.1, State Engineering and Science Recruitment Fund (SENSR) Grant Program. The proposed repeal would remove language related to the SENSR Grant Program adopted to be effective in 2006. The rule's authorizing statute was repealed by Senate Bill (SB) 215, 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2013. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §51.603 and §51.605, as repealed by SB 215, 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2013.
(5) Per Capita Apportionment Rate for the 2014-2015 School Year
(Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund)
The board is responsible for setting a per capita apportionment rate for each school year based on an estimate of the amount available for expenditures from the Available School Fund. The board adopted a preliminary 2014-2015 per capita apportionment rate of $257.274 in September 2014. Agency staff members will propose a recommended revised rate for the 2014-2015 school year at the July meeting of the Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §42.004 and §43.001(b).
(6) Ratification of the Purchases and Sales of the Investment Portfolio of the Permanent School Fund for the Months of March, April, and May 2015
(Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund)
This item provides an opportunity for the committee and board to consider approval of the purchases and sales of investments executed in the portfolio of the Permanent School Fund for the months of March, April, and May 2015. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Constitution, Article VII, §5(f).
(7) Decision on Real Estate Investments
(Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund)
This item provides an opportunity for the committee and board to review and consider possible real estate investments. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Constitution, Article VII, §5(f).
(8) Approval of Pool of Qualified Respondents to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Rating Agencies for the Permanent School Fund
(Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund)
This item provides an opportunity for the committee and board to approve a pool of qualified respondents to the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for rating agencies for the Permanent School Fund. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Constitution, Article VII, §5(f).
(9) Presentation by Finalist Candidates for Investment Counsel Services for the Permanent School Fund
(Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund)
The committee will receive presentations by finalist candidates for investment counsel services for the Permanent School Fund and select firms for contract execution by the commissioner of education. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Constitution, Article VII, §5(f).