November 2021 Committee on School Initiatives

THURSDAY
November 18, 2021

9:00 a.m.

COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES – Room 1-111

Members: Matt Robinson, chair; Aicha Davis, vice chair; Ruben Cortez, Jr; Will Hickman; Jay Johnson. A quorum of the State Board of Education may attend the committee meeting and discuss items on the committee agenda.

Public testimony – Individual testimony will be taken at the time the related item comes up for committee discussion or action. The procedures for registering and taking public testimony at State Board of Education committee meetings and general board meetings are provided online.

1. Recommendation for Reappointments to the Fort Sam Houston Independent School District Board of Trustees

This item provides an opportunity for the board to consider three reappointments to the board of trustees of Fort Sam Houston Independent School District (ISD). The reappointments are necessary due to the expiration of the terms of office of three board members. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352, and Texas Administrative Code (TAC) 61.2.

COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT

2. Approval of Applicability of State Statute to Special Purpose School Districts

This item provides an opportunity for the committee and board to consider and approve an updated list by section of the Texas Education Code (TEC), Title I and Title II, and recommendations regarding which sections of the code should apply or not apply to the operations of Texas Tech University K-12 and The University of Texas at Austin High School. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.351.

COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT

3. Approval of Required School Safety Training for District Trustees

House Bill 690, passed by the 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, requires the State Board of Education (SBOE) to require a trustee to complete training on school safety. The SBOE, in coordination with the Texas School Safety Center, must develop the curriculum and materials for the training. This item provides an opportunity for the board to approve the school safety training curriculum developed by the Texas School Safety Center. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.159(b-1), as amended by HB 690, 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2021.

COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION

4. Discussion of Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship

This item provides an opportunity for the committee to discuss a proposed amendment to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship. The proposed amendment would reflect changes made by House Bill (HB) 690, 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, to the State Board of Education's (SBOE's) duty to provide training courses for independent school district trustees. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.159(b-1), as added by HB 690, 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2021.

COMMITTEE – DISCUSSION
SBOE – NO ACTION

5. Review of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 229, Accountability System for Educator Preparation Programs

This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to review the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule actions that would propose amendments to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 229, Accountability System for Educator Preparation Programs. Chapter 229 establishes the performance standards and procedures for educator preparation program (EPP) accountability. The proposed amendments would provide for adjustments to the 2020–2021 Accountability System for Educator Preparation (ASEP) Manual due to the ongoing public health situation; implement House Bill (HB) 159, 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, to add students with disabilities to the student achievement ASEP performance indicator regarding student performance; provide additional clarity for certificate category calculations; and provide updates to the ASEP Manual. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 229 is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.041(a), (b)(1), and (d); 21.043(b) and (c), 21.0441(c) and (d); 21.0443; 21.045, as amended by HB 159, 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2021; 21.0451; and 21.0452.

COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION

6. Open-Enrollment Charter School Generation 27 Application Updates

The director of the Division of Charter School Authorizing and Administration will discuss updates regarding the Generation 27 Open-Enrollment Charter Application cycle. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.101.

COMMITTEE – DISCUSSION
SBOE – NO ACTION