Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1200 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Taylor of Galveston, et al. S.B. No. 1200
2	2	(Huberty)
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the creation of a commission to recommend a new system
8	8	for student assessment and public school accountability.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Chapter 39, Education Code, is amended by adding
11	11	Subchapter N to read as follows:
12	12	SUBCHAPTER N. TEXAS COMMISSION ON NEXT GENERATION ASSESSMENTS AND
13	13	ACCOUNTABILITY
14	14	Sec. 39.501. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "commission"
15	15	means the Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and
16	16	Accountability.
17	17	Sec. 39.502. TEXAS COMMISSION ON NEXT GENERATION
18	18	ASSESSMENTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY. (a) The Texas Commission on Next
19	19	Generation Assessments and Accountability is established to
20	20	develop and make recommendations for new systems of student
21	21	assessment and public school accountability.
22	22	(b) The commission is composed of 15 members, consisting of
23	23	the following:
24	24	(1) four members appointed by the governor;
25	25	(2) three members appointed by the lieutenant
26	26	governor;
27	27	(3) three members appointed by the speaker of the
28	28	house of representatives;
29	29	(4) the chair of the senate committee on education, or
30	30	a representative designated by the chair;
31	31	(5) the chair of the senate committee on higher
32	32	education, or a representative designated by the chair;
33	33	(6) the chair of the house of representatives
34	34	committee on public education, or a representative designated by
35	35	the chair;
36	36	(7) the chair of the house of representatives
37	37	committee on higher education, or a representative designated by
38	38	the chair; and
39	39	(8) a member of the State Board of Education, as
40	40	designated by the chair of that board.
41	41	(c) In making appointments under Subsections (b)(1), (2),
42	42	and (3), the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
43	43	house of representatives shall coordinate to ensure that the
44	44	commission includes at least one of each of the following
45	45	representatives:
46	46	(1) a parent or person standing in parental relation
47	47	to a student enrolled in the public school system;
48	48	(2) an educator in the public school system;
49	49	(3) an educator in a school district that is a
50	50	participant in the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium under
51	51	Section 7.0561;
52	52	(4) a member of the business community;
53	53	(5) a member of the civic community;
54	54	(6) a leader in student assessment development and
55	55	use; and
56	56	(7) a leader in research concerning student assessment
57	57	and education outcomes.
58	58	Sec. 39.503. PRESIDING OFFICER. The governor shall
59	59	designate the presiding officer of the commission.
60	60	Sec. 39.504. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A member of
61	61	the commission is not entitled to compensation for service on the
62	62	commission but is entitled to reimbursement for actual and
63	63	necessary expenses incurred in performing commission duties.
64	64	Sec. 39.505. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT AND FUNDING.
65	65	(a) Staff members of the agency shall provide administrative
66	66	support for the commission.
67	67	(b) Funding for the administrative and operational expenses
68	68	of the commission shall be provided by appropriation to the agency
69	69	for that purpose.
70	70	Sec. 39.506. RECOMMENDATIONS. The commission shall develop
71	71	recommendations under this subchapter to address:
72	72	(1) the purpose of a state accountability system and
73	73	the role of student assessment in that system;
74	74	(2) opportunities to assess students that:
75	75	(A) provide actionable information for a parent
76	76	or person standing in parental relation to a student, an educator,
77	77	and the public;
78	78	(B) support learning activities;
79	79	(C) recognize application of skills and
80	80	knowledge;
81	81	(D) measure student educational growth toward
82	82	mastery; and
83	83	(E) value critical thinking;
84	84	(3) alignment of state performance standards with
85	85	college and career readiness requirements in collaboration with the
86	86	Texas Workforce Commission and Texas Higher Education Coordinating
87	87	Board;
88	88	(4) policy changes necessary to enable a student to
89	89	progress through subject matter and grade levels on demonstration
90	90	of mastery; and
91	91	(5) policy changes necessary to establish a student
92	92	assessment and public school accountability system that meets state
93	93	goals, is community based, promotes parent and community
94	94	involvement, and reflects the unique needs of each community.
95	95	Sec. 39.507. REPORT. (a) The commission shall prepare and
96	96	deliver a report to the governor and the legislature that
97	97	recommends statutory changes to improve systems of student
98	98	assessment and public school accountability not later than
99	99	September 1, 2016.
100	100	(b) In preparing the report, the commission shall consider
101	101	the recommendations of the Texas High Performance Schools
102	102	Consortium established under Section 7.0561, including
103	103	recommendations related to innovative, next-generation learning
104	104	standards and assessment and accountability systems.
105	105	Sec. 39.508. PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PUBLIC INFORMATION.
106	106	(a) The commission may hold public meetings as needed to fulfill
107	107	its duties under this subchapter.
108	108	(b) The commission is subject to Chapters 551 and 552,
109	109	Government Code.
110	110	Sec. 39.509. COMMISSION ABOLISHED; EXPIRATION OF
111	111	SUBCHAPTER. (a) The commission is abolished January 1, 2017.
112	112	(b) This subchapter expires January 1, 2017.
113	113	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
114	114	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
115	115	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
116	116	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
117	117	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.