November 2023 Committee on School Initiatives Item 5

Discussion of Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.1, Continuing Education for School Board Members

November 16, 2023

COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION

SUMMARY: 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, §61.1, Continuing Education for School Board Members. The proposed amendment would update the requirements to be a provider of school board member training.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.159.

TEC, §11.159, requires the SBOE to provide a training course for independent school district trustees.

The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.

FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: The proposed amendment to §61.1 will be presented for first reading and filing authorization at a future meeting.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: TEC, §11.159, Member Training and Orientation, requires the SBOE to provide a training course for school board trustees. Section 61.1 addresses this statutory requirement. School board trustee training under current SBOE rule includes a local school district orientation session; a basic orientation to the TEC; an annual team-building session with the local school board and the superintendent; specified hours of continuing education based on identified needs; training on evaluating student academic performance; training on identifying and reporting potential victims of sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other maltreatment of children; and training on school safety. In addition to establishing the conditions for the training courses required for school district trustees, §61.1 establishes the criteria for both registered providers of school board training and authorized providers of school board training.

The SBOE's Committee of the Full Board most recently discussed §61.1 at its January 2023 meeting.

Staff Members Responsible:
Steve Lecholop, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Governance
Christopher Lucas, Director, Policy, Planning, and Operations, Office of Governance

Attachment:
Text of 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.1, Continuing Education for School Board Members