By: Bernal H.B. No. 3593
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to instruction in career and technology education provided
by public schools, including instruction in technology
applications, cybersecurity, and computer coding, and to
consideration of completed practicums and internships in school
accountability ratings.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a), (f), and (g-2) and adding Subsection
(g-3) to read as follows:
(a) Each school district that offers kindergarten through
grade 12 shall offer, as a required curriculum:
(1) a foundation curriculum that includes:
(A) English language arts;
(B) mathematics;
(C) science; and
(D) social studies, consisting of Texas, United
States, and world history, government, economics, with emphasis on
the free enterprise system and its benefits, and geography; and
(2) an enrichment curriculum that includes:
(A) to the extent possible, languages other than
English;
(B) health, with emphasis on the importance of
proper nutrition and exercise;
(C) physical education;
(D) fine arts;
(E) career and technology education, including[;
[(F)] technology applications;
(F) [(G)] religious literature, including the
Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and New Testament, and its impact
on history and literature; and
(G) [(H)] personal financial literacy.
(f) A school district may offer courses for local credit in
addition to those in the required curriculum. The State Board of
Education shall:
(1) be flexible in approving a course for credit for
high school graduation under this subsection; and
(2) approve courses in cybersecurity for credit for
high school graduation under this subsection.
(g-2) Each school district shall annually report to the
agency the names of the courses, programs, institutions of higher
education, and internships in which the district's students have
enrolled under Subsection (g-1) and the names of the courses and
institutions of higher education in which the district's students
have enrolled under Subsection (g-3). The agency shall make
available information provided under this subsection to other
districts.
(g-3) A district may also offer a course that is approved by
the board of trustees for credit without obtaining State Board of
Education approval if the district partners with a public or
private institution of higher education that offers an
undergraduate degree program in cybersecurity to develop and
provide the course.
SECTION 2. Sections 28.025(b-12), (b-14), and (c-1),
Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
(b-12) In adopting rules under Subsection (b-1), the State
Board of Education shall adopt criteria to allow a student to comply
with the curriculum requirements for the two credits in a language
other than English required under Subsection (b-1)(5) by
substituting two credits in computer programming languages,
including computer coding.
(b-14) In adopting rules under Subsection (b-1), the State
Board of Education shall allow a student who, due to disability, is
unable to complete two courses in the same language in a language
other than English, as provided under Subsection (b-1)(5), to
substitute for those credits two credits in English language arts,
mathematics, science, or social studies or two credits in career
and technology education, including technology applications, or
other academic electives. A credit allowed to be substituted under
this subsection may not also be used by the student to satisfy a
graduation credit requirement other than credit for completion of a
language other than English. The rules must provide that the
determination regarding a student's ability to participate in
language-other-than-English courses will be made by:
(1) if the student receives special education services
under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, the student's admission, review,
and dismissal committee; or
(2) if the student does not receive special education
services under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, but is covered by Section
504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Section 794), the
committee established for the student under that Act.
(c-1) A student may earn an endorsement on the student's
transcript by successfully completing curriculum requirements for
that endorsement adopted by the State Board of Education by rule.
The State Board of Education by rule shall provide students with
multiple options for earning each endorsement, including, to the
greatest extent possible, coherent sequences of courses. The
State Board of Education by rule must permit a student to enroll in
courses under more than one endorsement curriculum before the
student's junior year. An endorsement under this subsection may be
earned in any of the following categories:
(1) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
(STEM), which includes courses directly related to science,
including environmental science, technology, including computer
science, cybersecurity, and computer coding, engineering, and
advanced mathematics;
(2) business and industry, which includes courses
directly related to database management, information technology,
communications, accounting, finance, marketing, graphic design,
architecture, construction, welding, logistics, automotive
technology, agricultural science, and heating, ventilation, and
air conditioning;
(3) public services, which includes courses directly
related to health sciences and occupations, mental health,
education and training, law enforcement, and culinary arts and
hospitality;
(4) arts and humanities, which includes courses
directly related to political science, world languages, cultural
studies, English literature, history, and fine arts; and
(5) multidisciplinary studies, which allows a student
to:
(A) select courses from the curriculum of each
endorsement area described by Subdivisions (1) through (4); and
(B) earn credits in a variety of advanced courses
from multiple content areas sufficient to complete the
distinguished level of achievement under the foundation high school
program.
SECTION 3. Section 28.027(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) In this section, "applied STEM course" means an applied
science, technology, engineering, or mathematics course offered as
part of a school district's career and technology education [or
technology applications] curriculum, including technology
applications components of that curriculum.
SECTION 4. Section 29.190, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (b) and amending Subsection (c) to read as
follows:
(b) A teacher is entitled to a subsidy under this section if
the teacher passes a certification examination related to
cybersecurity.
(c) On approval by the commissioner, the agency shall pay
each school district an amount equal to the cost paid by the
district for a [the] certification examination under this
section. To obtain reimbursement for a subsidy paid under this
section, a district must:
(1) pay the fee for the examination; and
(2) submit to the commissioner a written application
on a form prescribed by the commissioner stating the amount of the
fee paid under Subdivision (1) for the certification examination.
SECTION 5. Section 39.0235(f), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(f) The assessment instrument adopted under Subsection (d)
must:
(1) be administered online;
(2) be aligned with the relevant essential knowledge
and skills requirements for career and technology education
relating to technology applications; and
(3) incorporate performance-based measures, including
a requirement that students perform certain technological tasks and
respond to questions based on the completion of those tasks.
SECTION 6. Section 39.053(c), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on
five domains of indicators of achievement adopted under this
section that include:
(1) in the first domain, the results of:
(A) assessment instruments required under
Sections 39.023(a), (c), and (l), including the results of
assessment instruments required for graduation retaken by a
student, aggregated across grade levels by subject area, including:
(i) for the performance standard determined
by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the percentage of
students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment
instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(ii) for the college readiness performance
standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of
students who performed satisfactorily on the assessment
instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(B) assessment instruments required under
Section 39.023(b), aggregated across grade levels by subject area,
including the percentage of students who performed satisfactorily
on the assessment instruments, as determined by the performance
standard adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by
subject area;
(2) in the second domain:
(A) for assessment instruments under Subdivision
(1)(A):
(i) for the performance standard determined
by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the percentage of
students who met the standard for annual improvement on the
assessment instruments, as determined by the commissioner by rule
or by the method for measuring annual improvement under Section
39.034, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(ii) for the college readiness performance
standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the percentage of
students who met the standard for annual improvement on the
assessment instruments, as determined by the commissioner by rule
or by the method for measuring annual improvement under Section
39.034, aggregated across grade levels by subject area; and
(B) for assessment instruments under Subdivision
(1)(B), the percentage of students who met the standard for annual
improvement on the assessment instruments, as determined by the
commissioner by rule or by the method for measuring annual
improvement under Section 39.034, aggregated across grade levels by
subject area;
(3) in the third domain, the student academic
achievement differentials among students from different racial and
ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds;
(4) in the fourth domain:
(A) for evaluating the performance of high school
campuses and districts that include high school campuses:
(i) dropout rates, including dropout rates
and district completion rates for grade levels 9 through 12,
computed in accordance with standards and definitions adopted by
the National Center for Education Statistics of the United States
Department of Education;
(ii) high school graduation rates, computed
in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance
with the Every Student Succeeds Act [No Child Left Behind Act of
2001] (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.);
(iii) the percentage of students who
successfully completed the curriculum requirements for the
distinguished level of achievement under the foundation high school
program;
(iv) the percentage of students who
successfully completed the curriculum requirements for an
endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);
(v) the percentage of students who
completed a coherent sequence of career and technical courses;
(vi) the percentage of students who satisfy
the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks
prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under
Section 51.3062(f) on an assessment instrument in reading, writing,
or mathematics designated by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board under Section 51.3062(c);
(vii) the percentage of students who earn
at least 12 hours of postsecondary credit required for the
foundation high school program under Section 28.025 or to earn an
endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);
(viii) the percentage of students who have
completed an advanced placement course;
(ix) the percentage of students who enlist
in the armed forces of the United States; [and]
(x) the percentage of students who earn an
industry certification; and
(xi) the percentage of students who
successfully completed a practicum or internship approved by the
State Board of Education;
(B) for evaluating the performance of middle and
junior high school and elementary school campuses and districts
that include those campuses:
(i) student attendance; and
(ii) for middle and junior high school
campuses:
(a) dropout rates, computed in the
manner described by Paragraph (A)(i); and
(
b) the percentage of students in
grades seven and eight who receive instruction in preparing for
high school, college, and a career that includes information
regarding the creation of a high school personal graduation plan
under Section 28.02121, the distinguished level of achievement
described by Section 28.025(b-15), each endorsement described by
Section 28.025(c-1), college readiness standards, and potential
career choices and the education needed to enter those careers; and
(C) any additional indicators of student
achievement not associated with performance on standardized
assessment instruments determined appropriate for consideration by
the commissioner in consultation with educators, parents, business
and industry representatives, and employers; and
(5) in the fifth domain, three programs or specific
categories of performance related to community and student
engagement locally selected and evaluated as provided by Section
39.0546.
SECTION 7. Section 42.158, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) A school district entitled to an allotment under this
section may use funds from the district's allotment to renovate an
existing instructional facility to serve as a dedicated
cybersecurity computer laboratory.
SECTION 8. Section 56.3041(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person
graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2013, and enrolling
in an eligible institution must:
(1) be a resident of this state as determined by
coordinating board rules;
(2) meet the academic requirements prescribed by
Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) as follows:
(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited
private high school in this state who completed the foundation high
school program established under Section 28.025 or its equivalent
and have accomplished any two or more of the following:
(i) successful completion of the course
requirements of the international baccalaureate diploma program or
earning of the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of
college credit in high school through courses described in Sections
28.009(a)(1), (2), and (3);
(ii) satisfaction of the Texas Success
Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the
coordinating board under Section 51.3062(f) on any assessment
instrument designated by the coordinating board under Section
51.3062(c) or qualification for an exemption as described by
Section 51.3062(p), (q), or (q-1);
(iii) graduation in the top one-third of
the person's high school graduating class or graduation from high
school with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point
scale or the equivalent; or
(iv) completion for high school credit of
at least one advanced mathematics course following the successful
completion of an Algebra II course or at least one advanced career
and technical [or technology applications] course, including a
course in technology applications;
(B) have received an associate degree from a
public or private institution of higher education;
(C) be an undergraduate student who has:
(i) previously attended another
institution of higher education;
(ii) received an initial Texas Educational
Opportunity Grant under Subchapter P for the 2014 fall semester or a
subsequent academic term;
(iii) completed at least 24 semester credit
hours at any institution or institutions of higher education; and
(iv) earned an overall grade point average
of at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on all
course work previously attempted; or
(D) if sufficient money is available, meet the
eligibility criteria described by Section 56.304(a)(2)(A);
(3) meet financial need requirements established by
the coordinating board;
(4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or
certificate program at an eligible institution;
(5) except as provided under rules adopted under
Section 56.304(h), be enrolled as:
(A) an entering undergraduate student for at
least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the
coordinating board, not later than the 16th month after the
calendar month in which the person graduated from high school;
(B) an entering undergraduate student who
entered military service not later than the first anniversary of
the date the person graduated from high school and who enrolled for
at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the
coordinating board, at the eligible institution not later than 12
months after being honorably discharged from military service;
(C) a continuing undergraduate student for at
least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the
coordinating board, not later than the 12th month after the
calendar month in which the person received an associate degree
from a public or private institution of higher education; or
(D) an undergraduate student described by
Subdivision (2)(C) who has never previously received a TEXAS grant;
(6) have applied for any available financial aid or
assistance; and
(7) comply with any additional nonacademic
requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this
subchapter.
SECTION 9. Section 61.0517(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) In this section, "applied STEM course" means an applied
science, technology, engineering, or mathematics course offered as
part of a school district's career and technology education [or
technology applications] curriculum, including technology
applications components of that curriculum, and approved, as
provided by Section 28.027, by the State Board of Education for
purposes of satisfying the mathematics and science curriculum
requirements for the foundation high school program under Section
28.025.
SECTION 10. Section 135.04, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) A cybersecurity program provided by a campus or
extension center in partnership with a school district to students
enrolled in the district is not subject to the approval of the
coordinating board under this section.
SECTION 11. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the State Board of Education shall by rule modify the
essential knowledge and skills of the career and technology
education curriculum to include the essential knowledge and skills
of the technology applications curriculum to conform with Section
28.002(a), Education Code, as amended by this Act.
SECTION 12. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
school year.
SECTION 13. 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, 2017.