April 2024 Committee on School Initiatives
THURSDAY
April 11, 2024
9:00 a.m.
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES – Room 1-111
Members: Will Hickman, chair; LJ Francis, vice chair; Rebecca Bell-Metereau; Staci Childs; and Julie Pickren. 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 public testimony at State Board of Education committee meetings and general board meetings are provided in SBOE Operating Rules.
1. Open-Enrollment Charter School Generation 29 Application Updates
This item provides an opportunity for the committee to receive updates regarding the Generation 29 Open-Enrollment Charter Application cycle. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.101.
COMMITTEE – DISCUSSION
SBOE – NO ACTION
Texas Government Code (TGC), §2001.039, establishes a four-year rule review cycle for all state agency rules, including State Board of Education (SBOE) rules. This item presents the adoption of review of 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 100, Charters, Subchapter A, Open-Enrollment Charter Schools, and Subchapter B, Home-Rule School District Charters. Subchapter A establishes a provision for an SBOE member to be designated as the liaison for charter selection for charters proposed under Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter 12, Subchapter D; charter selection procedures for charters granted under TEC, Chapter 12, Subchapter D; and provisions for a no-contact requirement. Subchapter B sets forth provisions for adverse action on a home-rule school district charter. The statutory authority for the rule review is TGC, §2001.039. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 100, Subchapter A, is TEC, §12.101. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 100, Subchapter B, is TEC, §§7.102(c)(8), 12.028, 12.101(b), and 12.101(b-0).
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
This item provides an opportunity for the board to consider two reappointments to the board of trustees of Randolph Field Independent School District (ISD). The reappointments are necessary due to the expirations of the terms of office of two board members. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
4. Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.2, Nomination of Trustees for Military Reservation School Districts and Boys Ranch Independent School District
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
This item presents for first reading and filing authorization a proposed amendment to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.2, Nomination of Trustees for Military Reservation School Districts and Boys Ranch Independent School District. The proposed amendment would reflect changes made by House Bill (HB) 4210, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, to the State Board of Education's (SBOE's) process for appointing trustees for military reservation districts and may include other changes to the SBOE's oversight of special-purpose district boards of trustees. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352, as amended by HB 4210, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
5. Approval of Revisions to Required School Safety Training for School District Trustees
This item provides an opportunity for the board to approve revisions to the curriculum of the school safety training for school district trustees established by House Bill (HB) 690, 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2021. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), 11.159(b-1).
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
6. Discussion of Ongoing State Board for Educator Certification Activities
This item provides an opportunity for the committee to receive updates on current and upcoming State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) activities and proposed SBEC rules and amendments. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.031, 21.035, 21.041, and 21.042.
COMMITTEE – DISCUSSION
SBOE – NO ACTION
7. Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 157, Hearings and Appeals, Subchapter D, Independent Hearing Examiners, §157.41, Certification Criteria for Independent Hearing Examiners
(Second Reading and Final Adoption)
This item presents for second reading and final adoption a proposed amendment to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 157, Hearings and Appeals, Subchapter D, Independent Hearing Examiners, §157.41, Certification Criteria for Independent Hearing Examiners. The proposed amendment would reduce the length of time an attorney must be licensed and engaged in full-time practice to be eligible to serve as an independent hearing examiner and expand the experience requirements to include family law, criminal law, and personal injury law. No changes are recommended since approved for first reading. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §21.252(a).
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION
This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to review the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule actions that would adopt the proposed amendments to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 233, Categories of Classroom Teaching Certificates. The proposed amendment to 19 TAC §233.2, Early Childhood; Core Subjects, would add five new core subjects-related certificates, and the proposed amendment to 19 TAC §233.8, Special Education, would add a new Bilingual Special Education Supplemental certificate. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 233, §233.2 and §233.8, is Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.003(a); 21.031; 21.041(b)(1)–(4) and (6); 21.044(e) and (f); 21.0442; 21.048(a) and (a–2); 21.0487; 21.0489; 21.04891; 21.0491; and 22.0831(f).
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION
This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to review the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule actions that would adopt the proposed amendment to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 239, Student Services Certificates, Subchapter A, School Counselor Certificate, §239.20, Requirements for the Issuance of the Standard School Counselor Certificate. The proposed amendment would implement the statutory requirement of Senate Bill (SB) 798, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, and would update the certificate issuance rules to remove the requirement that an individual must have two years of classroom teaching experience to receive a school counselor certificate. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 239, Subchapter A, §239.20, is Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.031(a); 21.040(2); 21.041(a), (b)(1)–(5), and (9); 21.044(a)(2); 21.0462, as added by SB 798, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 21.048(a); 21.054, as amended by House Bill (HB) 2929, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; and 22.0831(f).
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION
This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to review the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule actions that would adopt the proposed revisions to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 230, Professional Educator Preparation and Certification, Subchapter A, General Provisions, Subchapter C, Assessment of Educators, Subchapter D, Types and Classes of Certificates Issued, and Subchapter G, Certificate Issuance Procedures. The proposed revisions would redefine pilot exam; specify the timeline by which a passing score on a certification exam can be used for certification purposes; decrease the number of days to request a test limit waiver after an unsuccessful examination attempt; update the figure specifying the required pedagogy and content pedagogy certification exams for issuance of the probationary or standard certificate; remove certificate categories and examinations that are no longer operational; establish an Enhanced Standard certificate and fees for the proposed teacher residency preparation route specified in proposed new 19 TAC Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs; and update the list of ineligible certification by examination certificates to include the proposed new Deafblind: Early Childhood-Grade 12 certificate. The proposed revisions would also include technical edits to comply with Texas Register formatting and style requirements. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 230, Subchapters A, C, D, and G, is Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.041(b)(1), (2), and (4); 21.044(a)-(f); 21.048; 21.0485; 21.050; 22.082; and Texas Occupations Code (TOC), §54.003.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION
This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to review the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule actions that would adopt the proposed repeal of and new 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 228, Requirements for Educator Preparation Programs. The proposed repeal of and new 19 TAC Chapter 228 would reorganize the chapter to allow for improved readability; would implement legislation; would include technical updates to remove outdated provisions specific to the Residency Certificate; and would reflect stakeholder feedback to further strengthen the rules. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 228 is Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.003(a); 21.031; 21.041(b)(1)-(4); 21.044, as amended by House Bill (HB) 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 21.0441; 21.0442(c); 21.0443; 21.045(a); 21.0452, 21.0453; 21.0454; 21.0455; 21.046(b)-(c); 21.048(a); 21.0485; 21.0487(c); 21.0489(c); §21.04891; 21.049(a); 21.0491; 21.050(a)–(c); and 21.051, as amended by HB 4545, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; and Texas Occupations Code (TOC), §55.007.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION