Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB406 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R2122 CAE-D
2	2	By: González H.B. No. 406
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the creation of a task force to determine alternative
8	8	methods of assessing the performance of public school students and
9	9	school districts.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. TASK FORCE ON ALTERNATIVES TO STANDARDIZED
12	12	TESTING. (a) A task force is established under this section to
13	13	determine alternative methods of assessing the performance of
14	14	public school students and school districts.
15	15	(b) The task force is composed of the following 42 members
16	16	appointed by the commissioner of education:
17	17	(1) 10 teachers who are certified in bilingual
18	18	education with a minimum of three years' classroom experience, with
19	19	appointment reflecting the geographic diversity of the state and
20	20	including teachers from both rural and urban school districts;
21	21	(2) three teachers specializing in language arts with
22	22	a minimum of three years' classroom experience;
23	23	(3) two teachers specializing in mathematics with a
24	24	minimum of three years' classroom experience;
25	25	(4) five teachers with a minimum of three years'
26	26	classroom experience;
27	27	(5) 10 school administrators and school district
28	28	central office administrators, with appointments reflecting the
29	29	geographic diversity of the state; and
30	30	(6) 12 members who are students, parents of students,
31	31	or community members, including university professors and
32	32	education policy researchers.
33	33	(c) The commissioner of education shall appoint the
34	34	presiding officer of the task force.
35	35	(d) The commissioner of education shall appoint the members
36	36	of the task force not later than December 1, 2015.
37	37	(e) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of
38	38	the task force on or before January 1, 2016. The task force shall
39	39	meet at the times and places that the presiding officer determines
40	40	are appropriate. The task force shall adopt rules necessary to
41	41	fulfill the task force's duties under this section.
42	42	(f) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
43	43	task force.
44	44	SECTION 2. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. The task force shall
45	45	evaluate alternative methods of measuring accountability to
46	46	replace standardized testing of students. The task force shall:
47	47	(1) determine alternative methods of measuring
48	48	accountability using multiple forms of evidence of student learning
49	49	and student growth, with information about student learning and
50	50	student growth obtained at the beginning, middle, and end of each
51	51	school year;
52	52	(2) develop an accountability measure that informs
53	53	teachers of the progress of students and provides real-time
54	54	diagnostic information to be used by the teacher;
55	55	(3) recommend a method of accountability that provides
56	56	assistance to teachers that is locally derived and reflects the
57	57	needs of the local district; and
58	58	(4) develop a system that is easy to incorporate and
59	59	streamline into curriculum and provides minimal disruption and
60	60	interruption to student learning.
61	61	SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than February 1, 2018, the
62	62	task force shall deliver a report to the commissioner of education
63	63	detailing the task force's findings and recommendations. The
64	64	report shall be made available on the Texas Education Agency's
65	65	Internet website.
66	66	SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and this
67	67	Act expires March 1, 2018.
68	68	SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
69	69	1, 2015.