BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 6 84R17383 E By: Taylor, Larry; Campbell Education 3/20/2015 Committee Report (Substituted)
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 6
84R17383 E By: Taylor, Larry; Campbell
Education
3/20/2015
Committee Report (Substituted)
Senate Research Center
C.S.S.B. 6
84R17383 E
By: Taylor, Larry; Campbell
Education
3/20/2015
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Currently, the states public schools are labeled either met standard or improvement required (the equivalent of a pass-fail rating). Beginning in 2016, individual campuses will be labeled using four different category rankings of exemplary, recognized, acceptable, and unacceptable. These four designations lack the clarity of an A-F rating system. C.S.S.B. 6 provides Texas parents with a more transparent way to determine the quality of their local schools in order to make the best decision for their child. Key Points: Last session the legislature voted to rate districts on an A-F rating in H.B. 5. Although the bill also included an A-F rating for campuses as passed on the floor of the House and Senate, the campus rating was removed during the Conference Committee. C.S.S.B. 6 changes the campus rating label used by the state to an A-F rating, making campus ratings more transparent for parents and communities. Over the last decade, 16 states have adopted A-F ratings for campuses. In the first few years of implementation in Florida, D and F campuses outnumbered A and B campuses. By 2013, 59 percent of campuses in Florida had earned an A or B. C.S.S.B. 6 amends current law relating to public school performance ratings. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority previously granted to the commissioner of education is modified in SECTION 1 (Section 39.054, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 39.054, Education Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows: (a) Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to adopt rules to evaluate school district and campus performance and assign each district and campus a performance rating of A, B, C, D, or F. Provides that a district or campus performance rating of A reflects exemplary performance. Provides that a district or campus performance rating of B reflects recognized performance. Provides that a district or campus performance rating of C, rather than B or C, reflects acceptable performance. Provides that a district or campus performance rating of D or F reflects unacceptable performance. Provides that a district may not receive a performance rating of A if the district includes any campus with a performance rating of D or F, rather than a performance rating of unacceptable. Provides that a reference in law to an acceptable rating or acceptable performance includes a performance rating of A or B or exemplary or recognized performance. Deletes existing text requiring the commissioner to also assign each campus a performance rating of exemplary, recognized, acceptable, or unacceptable, and deletes existing text providing that a campus performance rating of exemplary, recognized, or acceptable reflects acceptable performance, and a campus performance rating of unacceptable reflects unacceptable performance. Makes nonsubstantive changes. (a-1) Creates this subsection from existing text. Requires that the performance rating of each district and campus, not later than August 8 of each year, be made publicly available as provided by rules adopted under this section, rather than subsection. Requires the commissioner, if a district or campus received a performance rating of D or F, rather than if a district or campus received a performance rating that reflected unacceptable performance, for the preceding school year, to notify the district of a subsequent such designation on or before June 15. SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 school year. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, the states public schools are labeled either met standard or improvement required (the equivalent of a pass-fail rating). Beginning in 2016, individual campuses will be labeled using four different category rankings of exemplary, recognized, acceptable, and unacceptable. These four designations lack the clarity of an A-F rating system. C.S.S.B. 6 provides Texas parents with a more transparent way to determine the quality of their local schools in order to make the best decision for their child.
Key Points:
Last session the legislature voted to rate districts on an A-F rating in H.B. 5. Although the bill also included an A-F rating for campuses as passed on the floor of the House and Senate, the campus rating was removed during the Conference Committee.
C.S.S.B. 6 changes the campus rating label used by the state to an A-F rating, making campus ratings more transparent for parents and communities.
Over the last decade, 16 states have adopted A-F ratings for campuses. In the first few years of implementation in Florida, D and F campuses outnumbered A and B campuses. By 2013, 59 percent of campuses in Florida had earned an A or B.
C.S.S.B. 6 amends current law relating to public school performance ratings.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority previously granted to the commissioner of education is modified in SECTION 1 (Section 39.054, Education Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 39.054, Education Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1), as follows:
(a) Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to adopt rules to evaluate school district and campus performance and assign each district and campus a performance rating of A, B, C, D, or F. Provides that a district or campus performance rating of A reflects exemplary performance. Provides that a district or campus performance rating of B reflects recognized performance. Provides that a district or campus performance rating of C, rather than B or C, reflects acceptable performance. Provides that a district or campus performance rating of D or F reflects unacceptable performance. Provides that a district may not receive a performance rating of A if the district includes any campus with a performance rating of D or F, rather than a performance rating of unacceptable. Provides that a reference in law to an acceptable rating or acceptable performance includes a performance rating of A or B or exemplary or recognized performance.
Deletes existing text requiring the commissioner to also assign each campus a performance rating of exemplary, recognized, acceptable, or unacceptable, and deletes existing text providing that a campus performance rating of exemplary, recognized, or acceptable reflects acceptable performance, and a campus performance rating of unacceptable reflects unacceptable performance. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
(a-1) Creates this subsection from existing text. Requires that the performance rating of each district and campus, not later than August 8 of each year, be made publicly available as provided by rules adopted under this section, rather than subsection. Requires the commissioner, if a district or campus received a performance rating of D or F, rather than if a district or campus received a performance rating that reflected unacceptable performance, for the preceding school year, to notify the district of a subsequent such designation on or before June 15.
SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 school year.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.