Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB4150 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R12896 JRJ-D
2	2	By: Rose H.B. No. 4150
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the collection and provision of information concerning
8	8	public school career and technology education programs.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 7.009, Education Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 7.009. BEST PRACTICES; CLEARINGHOUSE. (a) In
13	13	coordination with the Legislative Budget Board, the agency shall
14	14	establish an online clearinghouse of information relating to best
15	15	practices of campuses, [and] school districts, and open-enrollment
16	16	charter schools. In addition to information required under
17	17	Subsection (e), the agency shall determine the appropriate topic
18	18	categories for which a campus, district, or charter school may
19	19	submit best [regarding instruction, dropout prevention, public
20	20	school finance, resource allocation, and business] practices. To
21	21	the extent practicable, the agency shall ensure that information
22	22	provided through the online clearinghouse is specific, actionable
23	23	information relating to the best practices of high-performing and
24	24	highly efficient campuses, [and school] districts, and
25	25	open-enrollment charter schools and of academically acceptable
26	26	campuses, districts, and open-enrollment charter schools that have
27	27	demonstrated significant improvement in student achievement rather
28	28	than general guidelines relating to campus, [and school] district,
29	29	and open-enrollment charter school operation. The information must
30	30	be accessible by campuses, school districts, open-enrollment
31	31	charter schools, and interested members of the public.
32	32	(b) The agency shall solicit and collect from the
33	33	Legislative Budget Board, centers for education research
34	34	established under Section 1.005, and [exemplary or recognized]
35	35	school districts, campuses, and open-enrollment charter schools[,
36	36	as rated under Section 39.072,] examples of best practices as
37	37	determined by the agency under Subsection (a) and as required under
38	38	Subsection (e) [relating to instruction, dropout prevention,
39	39	public school finance, resource allocation, and business
40	40	practices, including best practices relating to curriculum, scope
41	41	and sequence, compensation and incentive systems, bilingual
42	42	education and special language programs, compensatory education
43	43	programs, and the effective use of instructional technology,
44	44	including online courses].
45	45	(c) The agency shall contract for the services of one or
46	46	more third-party contractors to develop, implement, and maintain a
47	47	system of collecting and evaluating the best practices of campuses,
48	48	[and] school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools as
49	49	provided by this section. In addition to any other considerations
50	50	required by law, the agency must consider an applicant's
51	51	demonstrated competence and qualifications in analyzing campus,
52	52	[and] school district, and open-enrollment charter school
53	53	practices in awarding a contract under this subsection.
54	54	(d) The commissioner may purchase from available funds
55	55	curriculum and other instructional tools identified under this
56	56	section to provide for use by school districts and open-enrollment
57	57	charter schools.
58	58	(e) The clearinghouse shall collect and provide information
59	59	relating to best practices in career and technology education,
60	60	including:
61	61	(1) model programs that connect kindergarten through
62	62	grade 12 to postsecondary employment or higher education in a
63	63	seamless system that includes the use of quality internship
64	64	programs;
65	65	(2) courses that teach the required curriculum under
66	66	Section 28.002 in a manner that may be applied to employment skills;
67	67	(3) models of course scheduling that allow students to
68	68	participate in a coherent sequence of career and technology courses
69	69	while meeting the requirement adopted under Section 28.025 that
70	70	students complete four courses in each subject of the foundation
71	71	curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(1);
72	72	(4) counseling that:
73	73	(A) assists students in identifying high-demand,
74	74	high-wage occupations appropriate for the student;
75	75	(B) diagnoses the current skills of students and
76	76	determines the skills needed for those high-demand, high-wage
77	77	occupations;
78	78	(C) assists students in planning courses and
79	79	schedules to acquire needed skills; and
80	80	(D) connects students to employment
81	81	opportunities and to institutions of higher education; and
82	82	(5) the integration and use of Internet courses into
83	83	the career and technology education course sequences.
84	84	(f) This subsection expires January 31, 2011. Not later
85	85	than January 1, 2011, the agency shall report to the chair of each
86	86	standing committee of the legislature with primary jurisdiction
87	87	over public education recommendations regarding how to use the
88	88	clearinghouse established under this section as a dynamic technical
89	89	assistance and support tool. The recommendations must include
90	90	recommendations regarding:
91	91	(1) using the clearinghouse to provide classroom
92	92	teachers, school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools
93	93	with statewide access to high-quality curricula;
94	94	(2) consolidating similar state Internet web portals
95	95	into a central framework; and
96	96	(3) providing students access to Internet-based
97	97	academic and career counseling that includes cooperation among the
98	98	relevant state agencies for the purpose of transitioning students,
99	99	including students enrolled in a special education program under
100	100	Subchapter A, Chapter 29, from kindergarten through grade 12 to
101	101	postsecondary employment or higher education.
102	102	SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Education Code, is
103	103	amended by adding Section 33.008 to read as follows:
104	104	Sec. 33.008. COUNSELING REGARDING CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY
105	105	EDUCATION. (a) Each counselor at a middle or junior high school,
106	106	including an open-enrollment charter school offering those grades,
107	107	shall advise students and their parents or guardians regarding the
108	108	purposes of and available options for career and technology
109	109	education as part of any information provided to a student for
110	110	purposes of establishing a personal graduation plan.
111	111	(b) During the first school year a student is enrolled in a
112	112	high school or at the high school level in an open-enrollment
113	113	charter school, a counselor shall provide information about career
114	114	and technology education to the student and the student's parent or
115	115	guardian as part of any information provided to a student for
116	116	purposes of establishing a personal graduation plan. The career
117	117	and technology information provided must include information
118	118	regarding:
119	119	(1) obtaining an aptitude or interest assessment;
120	120	(2) available course and career options, including
121	121	projected future demand for particular careers;
122	122	(3) certification and licensing requirements,
123	123	including skills needed and coursework required to meet those
124	124	requirements; and
125	125	(4) postsecondary education and training
126	126	opportunities.
127	127	SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
128	128	amended by adding Section 61.0663 to read as follows:
129	129	Sec. 61.0663. ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY. (a) To assess the
130	130	economic benefits and preparation for employment provided by public
131	131	institutions of higher education, the board shall identify students
132	132	enrolled in the public education system and collect data on which
133	133	postsecondary program, if any, the students enroll in and the type
134	134	of employment the students obtain following completion of high
135	135	school or the program, as applicable.
136	136	(b) The board, in consultation with the Texas Education
137	137	Agency, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the comptroller, shall
138	138	use the education and employment data collected under Subsection
139	139	(a), and any additional relevant data, to assess the economic
140	140	impact of secondary and postsecondary training and education. The
141	141	information must be produced in a manner that:
142	142	(1) demonstrates patterns of postsecondary enrollment
143	143	and employment placement;
144	144	(2) provides an assessment of the economic benefits of
145	145	institutions of higher education and programs at those institutions
146	146	to students and the state; and
147	147	(3) provides an assessment of the economic benefit of
148	148	public education programs that prepare students who transition
149	149	directly to postsecondary employment.
150	150	(c) The information produced under this section must be
151	151	capable of electronic dissemination and made available to the
152	152	public in a format that assists students in making decisions
153	153	regarding education and career choices.
154	154	(d) This section does not authorize the disclosure of
155	155	student information that may not be disclosed under the Family
156	156	Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section
157	157	1232g). The board, in conjunction with the commissioner of
158	158	education, the comptroller, and the Texas Workforce Commission,
159	159	shall adopt rules to protect the confidentiality of student
160	160	information.
161	161	SECTION 4. Section 61.0762, Education Code, is amended to
162	162	read as follows:
163	163	Sec. 61.0762. PROGRAMS TO ENHANCE STUDENT SUCCESS. (a) To
164	164	implement the college readiness and success strategic action plan
165	165	adopted under Section 61.0761 and to enhance the success of
166	166	students at institutions of higher education, the board by rule
167	167	shall develop:
168	168	(1) summer higher education bridge programs in the
169	169	subject areas of mathematics, science, and English language arts;
170	170	(2) incentive programs for institutions of higher
171	171	education that implement research-based, innovative developmental
172	172	education initiatives;
173	173	(3) financial assistance programs for educationally
174	174	disadvantaged students, as defined by Section 5.001, who take
175	175	college entrance and college readiness assessment instruments;
176	176	(4) professional development programs for faculty of
177	177	institutions of higher education on college readiness standards and
178	178	the implications of such standards on instruction; and
179	179	(5) other programs as determined by the board that
180	180	support the participation and success goals in "Closing the Gaps,"
181	181	the state's master plan for higher education.
182	182	(b) As one of the programs adopted under Subsection (a)(5),
183	183	the board shall establish education resource centers to create
184	184	within school communities interest in and information concerning
185	185	attendance at institutions of higher education. Each center must
186	186	attempt to coordinate among students, parents, school counselors,
187	187	and institutions of higher education in providing access to
188	188	resources helpful in preparation for attendance at and admission to
189	189	institutions of higher education. One or more persons associated
190	190	with each center shall be trained and able to assist the families of
191	191	high school students complete the Free Application for Federal
192	192	Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Each center shall provide information
193	193	concerning career and technical education, including certification
194	194	and licensing requirements and available course and career options
195	195	and degree programs. A center under this subsection may be located
196	196	on a high school or middle school campus or at a site within a
197	197	community that is conveniently located to many students, such as a
198	198	public library or local workforce or community center, or may be a
199	199	mobile center that visits schools or other places where students
200	200	are likely to gather.
201	201	(c) The board shall conduct ongoing evaluations of programs
202	202	developed under Subsection (a) and any other programs developed to
203	203	provide information concerning postsecondary educational or
204	204	employment opportunities to determine the effectiveness of the
205	205	programs in meeting the goals of "Closing the Gaps," the state's
206	206	master plan for higher education.
207	207	(d) In conjunction with the comptroller, the board shall
208	208	develop an Internet website for the purpose of providing
209	209	information to the public about postsecondary educational and
210	210	employment opportunities. The website shall provide information in
211	211	English and Spanish concerning:
212	212	(1) career and technical education programs that
213	213	integrate academic, technical, and career skills that lead to a
214	214	license, certificate, or postsecondary degree;
215	215	(2) available employment opportunities and the
216	216	educational requirements needed for employment at entry and
217	217	advanced levels;
218	218	(3) which occupations are considered high-demand, as
219	219	determined by the board in conjunction with the Texas Workforce
220	220	Commission;
221	221	(4) the skills needed and the available avenues for
222	222	obtaining employment in a high-demand occupation; and
223	223	(5) how to obtain financial aid and what forms of
224	224	financial aid are available to students entering certain
225	225	occupations.
226	226	(e) For the purpose of developing the Internet website under
227	227	Subsection (d), the board may require the Texas Education Agency to
228	228	provide information on educational programs and outcomes and the
229	229	Texas Workforce Commission to provide information on workforce
230	230	programs and outcomes.
231	231	(f) As one of the programs adopted under Subsection (a)(5),
232	232	the board, in conjunction with the comptroller and the Texas
233	233	Workforce Commission, shall establish mobile career centers that
234	234	visit schools or other places where students are likely to gather.
235	235	The mobile career centers shall provide students information on
236	236	various occupations including:
237	237	(1) the potential future employment demand for the
238	238	occupation;
239	239	(2) the earning potential for a person employed in the
240	240	occupation;
241	241	(3) the skills and training needed for employment in
242	242	the occupation;
243	243	(4) a list of courses applicable to the occupation,
244	244	including courses offered in high school, for dual credit, on the
245	245	Internet, and at institutions of higher education, and the extent
246	246	to which those courses are available to the student; and
247	247	(5) information concerning post entry-level
248	248	employment opportunities in the occupation and, to the extent
249	249	feasible, information concerning the education required to access
250	250	those future opportunities.
251	251	SECTION 5. Section 2 of this Act applies beginning with the
252	252	2009-2010 school year.
253	253	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
254	254	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
255	255	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
256	256	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
257	257	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.