By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1587
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to establishment of the Texas Early Learning Council.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter E-1 to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER E-1. TEXAS EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL
Sec. 29.171. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "council"
means the Texas Early Learning Council.
Sec. 29.172. TEXAS EARLY LEARNING COUNCIL: ESTABLISHMENT
AND PURPOSES. The Texas Early Learning Council is an advisory
council established to improve school readiness in this state.
Sec. 29.173. COMPOSITION AND ORGANIZATION. (a) The
council is composed of 12 members as follows:
(1) two members representing Head Start agencies in
this state, including the director of the Texas Head Start State
Collaboration Office and one member appointed by the governor;
(2) one member representing the Department of Family
and Protective Services, appointed by the commissioner of the
Department of Family and Protective Services;
(3) one member representing the Department of State
Health Services, appointed by the commissioner of the Department of
State Health Services;
(4) one member representing the Department of
Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, appointed by the
commissioner of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative
Services;
(5) one member representing the agency, appointed by
the commissioner of education;
(6) one member representing a school district in this
state who has expertise in early childhood learning, appointed by
the commissioner of education;
(7) one member representing a public institution of
higher education who teaches courses or engages in research
concerning school readiness, appointed by the commissioner of
higher education;
(8) one member representing local providers of early
childhood education and development services, appointed by the
governor;
(9) two members who have expertise in early childhood
learning, appointed by the governor; and
(10) one member representing parents of preschool
students, appointed by the governor.
(b) The members of the council annually shall elect one
member to serve as the presiding officer.
(c) Council meetings are held at the call of the presiding
officer.
(d) The council is administratively attached to the agency
but is independent of direction by the agency or the commissioner of
education. The agency shall provide administrative support and
resources to the council as necessary to enable the council to
perform its duties.
(e) The agencies represented on the council shall provide
periodic staff support of specialists as needed to the council.
(f) The council is not subject to Chapter 2110, Government
Code.
Sec. 29.174. SUNSET PROVISION. The council is subject to
Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued
in existence as provided by that chapter, the council is abolished
and this subchapter expires September 1, 2017.
Sec. 29.175. DUTIES. (a) In an effort to improve the
school readiness of young children in this state, the council
shall:
(1) develop effective, comprehensive standards for
early childhood learning and school readiness that recognizes but
may not be limited to the importance of literacy, numeracy, social
and emotional development, and the physical health of children,
including developing systems for rating and improving child-care
and early childhood learning programs;
(2) develop recommendations for outreach to and
communication with parents and guardians of young children,
including children in underrepresented or special populations,
concerning the availability of and need and best practices for
child care and early childhood learning, for the purpose of
increasing the overall participation of children in existing
federal, state, and local child-care and early childhood learning
programs;
(3) identify opportunities for and barriers to
collaboration and coordination among federally funded and
state-funded child development, child-care, and early childhood
learning programs and services, including collaboration and
coordination among state agencies responsible for administering
such programs;
(4) develop recommendations concerning statewide
professional development, including career advancement, for early
childhood educators;
(5) provide recommendations concerning the
establishment of a unified data collection system for public
child-care and early childhood learning programs and services
throughout this state;
(6) conduct a periodic statewide needs assessment
concerning the quality and availability of early childhood
education and development programs and services for children from
birth to school entry, including an assessment of the availability
of high-quality prekindergarten services for educationally
disadvantaged children in this state; and
(7) assess the capacity and effectiveness of public
and private institutions of higher education, including junior
colleges, in supporting the preparation of early childhood
educators, including the extent to which such institutions have in
place articulation agreements, professional development and career
advancement plans, and internships or similar opportunities for
students to work in a Head Start or prekindergarten program.
(b) The council shall hold public hearings and provide
opportunities for public comment concerning the activities of the
council, including the activities of the council in carrying out
duties under Subsection (a).
(c) Not later than November 1 of each year, the council
shall submit to the governor, the legislature, and the director of
the Texas Head Start State Collaboration Office a report concerning
the activities of the council, including the activities of the
council in carrying out duties under Subsection (a).
Sec. 29.176. COORDINATOR. The commissioner of education
shall coordinate the activities of the council.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.