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HB 1 Chisum/Ogden
State budget - provides for increased educator salaries of an unspecified amount. The funding - $23.63 per weighted student works out to around $425 for each employee subject to the state minimum salary schedule (teachers, counselors, nurses and librarians) on a statewide basis, but depending on a district’s weighted student composition, the district could get somewhat more or less than that amount. There is no requirement that the raise be limited to those employees subject to the minimum salary schedule, no requirement that the raises be across-the-board, and no requirement that the raise be in addition to an already-planned increase. School districts must report annually on the use of these funds.
Increases the state’s TRS contribution rate from the current 6% to 6.58.
Provides up to $97.5 million per year for the current teacher incentive pay program that is limited to low-income districts. Provides $245.2 million for the teacher incentive pay program that is expanded to include all districts; postpones its implementation from the originally-scheduled 2007-08 school year to 2008-09.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2 Chisum / Ogden
Provides $14.2 billion in state funding for property tax relief.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 121 Dukes / Hinojosa
Requires districts to adopt and implement a dating violence policy that is to include a definition of dating violence (including intentional use of physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse to harm, threaten, intimidate or control another person in a dating relationship) and address safety planning, enforcement of protective order, alternatives to protective orders, training for teachers and administrators, counseling for students and awareness education.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/18/07
HB 155 Pickett / Lucio
Provides that a public retirement system (including TRS) may not correct or recover an overpayment if the system did not adjust future payments or, if no future payments are due, the system must initiate steps to recover the overpayment within a 90-day period.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 188 Hochberg / Van de Putte
Revises the textbook proclamation process so that the proclamation is referred to by the year in which the textbooks are to be issued, rather than the year in which the request for production is made. Provides requirements for a mid-term adoption process. Any given adoption cycle must be limited to the subject areas that are affordable with the anticipated funding available. Provides a process for adopting supplemental textbooks that are not on the conforming or nonconforming list and are not designed to serve as the sole textbook for the course. Allows districts and charter schools to receive textbook credits for books less expensive than the established cost limit. Half of the credit goes to the state textbook fund and the other half to the district or charter school to apply toward additional textbooks.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 189 Hochberg / Janek
Prohibits a superintendent from receiving financial benefit for services performed for a business entity conducting or soliciting business with the district. Requires an agreement between a superintendent and other public entities (such as an ESC) to be approved on a case-by-case basis by the board.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 208 Flores / Lucio
Provides that a student’s enrollment in a dual credit (high school/college) course, regardless of the location of the class, does not affect the student’s eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities or UIL competitions.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/24/07
HB 278 Madden / Hinojosa
Revises a provision in current law to eliminate the ability of districts to make violations of school policy a Class C misdemeanor. Under the revision, only a violation of rules providing for the operation and parking of vehicles on school property is a criminal offense.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 314 Eissler / Van de Putte
Authorizes parents to request that multiple birth siblings be placed in the same classroom or in different classrooms. The request must be honored unless the placement is determined to be disruptive or would require additional classes. Schools can recommend appropriate placement.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/15/07
HB 323 Hamilton / Lucio
Provides that new buses purchased on or after September 1, 2010, must be equipped with three point seat belts. Districts would not be required to retrofit their existing fleet of buses, and the new requirement will only be enforced if the state provides funding. SBOE will develop an instructional program on the proper use of seat belts.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 401 Brown, Betty / Zaffirini
Adds to the current law prohibiting sexual contact between a school employee and a student to include online solicitation of a minor, regardless of the minor's age. Adds to the current law prohibiting online solicitation of a minor to include text messages and other electronic message services or systems.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
Requires TEA to adopt minimum standards for the operation of disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs), including standards relating to: student/teacher ratios; student health and safety; reporting of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of students; training for teachers in behavior management and safety procedures; and planning for a student's transition from a disciplinary alternative education program to a regular campus.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 566 Hamilton / Williams
Allows a school board to adopt a policy requiring attendance until the end of the school year for a student who is voluntarily attending school after the age of 18; however, current laws regarding parental responsibility for student attendance do not apply.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/10/07
HB 708 Puente / Uresti
Changes the date for Celebrate Freedom Week in public schools from the week in which November 11 falls to the week in which September 17 falls.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/08/07
HB 776 Dutton / Janek
Authorizes a peace officer to bring a juvenile in custody to the student’s assigned campus if the principal, principal's designee, or a campus peace officer agrees to assume responsibility for the child for the rest of the day.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 828 Hochberg / Shapiro
School finance legislation designed to protect districts from an unexpected decline in Austin ISD’s property values (AISD is the benchmark for determining whether a district is considered wealthy).
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 973 Eissler / Averitt
TCTA-initiated legislation that entitles school employees to remain on the district's health insurance plan through the summer months if their resignation was effective after the last day of the instructional year. Prohibits the district and TRS from reducing or eliminating the health insurance supplement as long as the employee is eligible to participate in the health plan.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 1059 Parker / Nelson
Requires school districts with a website to post information on required and recommended vaccinations, specifically including the influenza vaccine. Districts must also post links to resources regarding vaccinations, including Texas health agency websites.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/15/07
HB 1098 Bonnen / Hegar
Provides that the HPV vaccine is not required for admission to public school. The bill preempts all contrary executive orders of the governor.
Last Action: Filed without the Governor's signature, Earliest effective date 05/08/07
HB 1137 Hochberg / Zaffirini
Allows students between 21 and 26 to attend public school to complete graduation requirements. If a student between 21-26 engages in behavior that would otherwise result in placement in an AEP, the student will not be placed in an AEP but will have admission revoked. A student over 21 years of age who had not attended school in the last 3 school years cannot be placed in a classroom setting, cafeteria, or school activity with a student who is 18 or younger. Allows a student between 21-26 who attends school less than 90% but at least 75% of the required days to receive credit if the student completes a plan approved by the school's principal.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 1250 Howard, Charlie / Patrick, Dan
Amends the eligibility requirements for certain higher education scholarship and loan programs so that home school graduates are eligible.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 1270 Eissler / Van de Putte
Makes implementation by the commissioner of the intensive reading and language intervention pilot program authorized in the 2005 session mandatory rather than optional.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 1287 Chisum / Estes
Provides that a district may offer elective courses on the Old and New Testament and their impact on the history and literature of Western civilization; the course is added to the enrichment curriculum, beginning with the 2009-10 school year. The course must follow applicable laws and guidelines in maintaining religious neutrality and accommodating diverse religious views, traditions, and perspectives of students. A district is not required to use a particular translation of the Bible as the course textbook. The teacher must hold at least a high school composite certificate in language arts, social studies or history and preferably a minor in religion or biblical studies. Staff development training is required to prepare teachers to learn how to present the Bible in an objective manner. A district is not required to offer the course if fewer than 15 students register. Districts may also offer elective courses in other religions.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 1563 Bolton / Shapleigh
Requires districts, if requested by the student's parent, to issue a diploma posthumously to a student who was in 12th grade in the district during the 2005-2006 school and who was the victim of criminal homicide during that school year.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 1609 Crownover / Shapleigh
Requires the commissioner to set standards for the Communities In Schools program and establish performance goals, objectives and measures that consider improvement in student behavior, academic achievement, and promotion, graduation, retention, and dropout rates. The commissioner may withhold funding from a program that consistently does not meet the goals, objectives and measures.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 1622 Delisi / Averitt
A TCTA-initiated proposal requiring that a district’s grievance policy include a provision allowing employees to report a grievance against a supervisor alleging the supervisor’s violation of law to a supervisor other than that supervisor.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 1700 Hilderbran / Fraser
Requires SBOE to assist in developing a nature science curriculum for grades six through 12, to include outdoor experiential learning projects in state parks. The Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (T-STEM) Center at Texas Tech will make the curriculum available on its website, and the Tech University Center in Junction will present development courses on how to provide instruction in the curriculum to classroom teachers.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 1748 Morrison / Shapiro
Transfers oversight of the Governor’s School Program from TEA to THECB.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 1844 Howard, Charlie / Janek
Requires a school district to allow home-schooled students to participate in the PSAT/NMSQT or a college advanced placement test offered by the district, and requires that notice be provided to home-schooled students about the dates on which the PSAT/NMSQT will be administered and which districts will be administering the testing.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 1922 Kolkhorst / Shapiro
Provides financial assistance to districts for paying existing facilities debt.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 2112 Patrick, Diane / Hegar
Makes it an offense if a person intentionally exhibits, or uses a firearm, or threatens to do so, in a manner intended to cause alarm or personal injury to another person or to damage school property in or on any property, including a parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area owned by a private or public school, or on a school bus being used to transport children to or from school-sponsored activities of a private or public school.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 2176 Deshotel / West, Royce
Requires districts to incorporate a parenting and paternity awareness program, developed by the SBOE and the Attorney General’s office, into the high school health curriculum.
Last Action: Filed without the Governor's signature, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 2190 Truitt / Duncan
Removes the requirement that the TRS executive director must be a Texas resident for the three years preceding his/her appointment.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2237 Eissler / Shapiro
Became a catch-all bill for several education-related proposals. Creates a new “High School Completion and Success Initiative” committee and requires the SBOE to incorporate college readiness standards into the TEKS of the foundation courses that 12th grade students generally take, beginning in
Other new programs include a dropout prevention grant program under which eligible districts must develop an IEP for each high school student; a grant program of up to $2.5 million per year to districts, ESCs, nonprofit organizations and colleges/universities for establishing and providing assistance in staff development training; a math instructional coaches pilot program for middle and high schools; a pilot program to fund student club activities for at-risk students, up to $4 million for the biennium; a science laboratory grant program, up to $200 per square foot for new construction and up to $100 per square foot for renovations of existing science labs, with preference given to low-wealth districts; math, science and technology teacher preparation academies; a collaborative dropout reduction pilot program; an intensive technology-based academic intervention pilot program; an intensive summer program for at-risk students; a grant program for organizations providing volunteers to teach classroom or after-school programs to enhance college readiness, workforce readiness, dropout prevention, or personal financial literacy; and a high school innovation grant initiative.
Districts must administer a reading assessment to 7th graders who performed poorly on the 6th grade reading TAKS. Districts must provide additional instruction and intervention to those students.
Requires the development of college prep courses and accompanying end-of-course exams in core subjects. The courses must begin in the 2014 – 2015 school year and the exams would account for 15% of the course grade in each class.
Allows districts to retain a principal at an academically unacceptable campus if the campus is showing significant growth in student performance.
The commissioner must establish reading academies by June 1, 2008, to provide training for core curriculum teachers of students in grades 6 –8 to improve student reading skills. Teachers at campuses rated academically unacceptable in reading must attend the academies.
Creates “Education: Go Get It Week” to education students about the importance of higher education.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2341 Truitt / Duncan
Authorizes districts to refuse to enter into a salary reduction agreement for certain privately-offered investment plans, in order to better comply with new federal laws making districts more accountable for the products offered.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 2365 Truitt / Duncan
Provides for an alternative comprehensive accounting and reporting standard, as an option for the state and other political subdivisions in reporting the long-term liabilities associated with providing retiree health insurance benefits.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2383 Lucio / Lucio
Provides career/technology students with funding to cover the amount of a trade license or certification exam if the student passes the exam and demonstrates financial need.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2399 Delisi / Shapiro
Adds to the acceptable uses of teacher incentive pay money expenditures for a teacher retention demonstration project employing innovative practices to identify and retain highly effective teachers. The practices may include a teacher recruitment and selection strategy focused on attracting teachers with deep content knowledge and a long-term commitment to teaching; an alternative certification program to prepare people with deep content knowledge and outstanding academic or professional achievement; a campus governance model engaging teachers in leading campus management activities; differentiated compensation addressing teacher shortages in subject areas, instructional weaknesses at underperforming campuses, limited advanced course offerings, or other critical needs; or other research-based strategies.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2411 Strama / Ogden
Provides school districts with the option of using an RFP (request for proposal) process for selecting a bank depository.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2427 Truitt / Whitmire
Sunset legislation for the Teacher Retirement System. Revises the disability retirement payment process by allowing the TRS Board to reduce or suspend payments to disability retirees who are working and earning more than the salary earned in the 12 months of highest compensation as a school district employee. (Includes a TCTA amendment ensuring that the comparison is made to the highest 12 months rather than the 12 months immediately prior to the disability retirement.)
Includes ethics provisions ensuring that a TRS board member or employee, or a spouse of such, may not be a paid officer, employee or consultant of a Texas investment or insurance trade association.
Includes a TCTA-supported provision that requires the TRS board to encourage the use of negotiated rulemaking in adopting rules.
Includes a TCTA-supported provision requiring TRS to make individual retirement counseling available in regions outside of Austin.
Eliminates the health insurance comparability study under which TRS certifies that districts offer health insurance coverage comparable to that provided to state employees. Districts will still report to TRS the details of the plans offered, and the requirement that comparable coverage must be offered is retained. Includes provisions initiated by TCTA that require TRS to post the detailed district health plan information on the TRS website, and require districts to make available that detailed information and their health insurance policy(ies) at each campus and on their website (if the district maintains a website).
Includes provisions requiring TRS to approve and maintain a list of registered individual investment products (such as 401k plans) offered to educators and available through a salary reduction agreement.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 2455 Cook, Byron / Seliger
Requires that a student required to make a court appearance receive an excused absence for that time, including time spent traveling. This allows school districts to receive attendance funding when students are absent from school because they are required to attend court.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2503 Eissler / Williams
Establishes a technology literacy assessment pilot program in which participating districts assess student technology proficiency. TEA will adopt an assessment instrument to assess master of the technology TEKS to be administered in participating districts – the assessment instrument must be an existing product. The test will be administered each year to students in either 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th grade, as determined by the district, and districts will report student performance to TEA.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2504 Eissler / Shapiro
Establishes an intensive mathematics and algebra intervention program to provide additional intervention tools for students performing below grade level in grades 4-7, and algebra readiness intervention for such students in 8th grade. The program may be implemented at campuses with a population of at-risk students exceeding the state average. Programs that may be implemented must include comprehensive course plans and teacher guides organized around the math TEKS; include technology-based supplementary instruction; include at least 3 days of teacher training, provide students with individual access to technology-based supplemental instruction at least 90 minutes per week, provide teachers daily access to required technology, demonstrate effectiveness and be selected in consultation with the teachers on the affected campus.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2532 Patrick, Diane / Shapiro
Allows a school board to expel a student and place the student in a JJAEP or DAEP if the student is charged with engaging in certain conduct defined as a felony offense regardless of whether the incident occurred on or off school property. This placement continues until the student graduates from high school, the charges are dismissed or reduced to a misdemeanor offense, or the student completes the term of the placement or is assigned to another program, and continues to apply to the student even if the student transfers to another district.
Requires that districts assess basic math and reading skills of students placed in a DAEP for 90 or more days, once at the initial placement of the student and again on or near the date of departure.
Requires TEA to explore alternative methods of evaluating the effectiveness of DAEPs including indicators relating to student academic growth, course completion, and behavior improvement. Includes the TCTA-initiated language regarding notification to teachers and placement of registered sex offenders; see SB 6 summary for more information.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2563 Hancock / Van de Putte
Restates and clarifies existing laws with regard to school district governance relating to the powers and duties of school boards and superintendents. School boards are required to adopt a vision statement and performance goals relating to existing academic and fiscal accountability measures. School boards are also required to establish a process by which parents, members of the public, and school personnel may obtain a hearing from the district administrators and the board regarding a complaint. Another provision of the bill provides that a district employment policy must provide each employee with the right to present grievances to the district board of trustees. The bill amends current nepotism law by requiring that the nepotism provisions apply to both school board members and the superintendent if a district has delegated final selection authority to the superintendent. This change in nepotism law does not apply to a school district that is located in a county with a population of less than 35,000. Pursuant to an amendment drafted by TCTA, any employees hired by the superintendent prior to the effective date of the bill who are related to a school board member within the degree prohibited by the nepotism law may continue in employment with the district.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 2646 Rose / Watson
Allows for Educator Excellence Award (teacher incentive pay) funds to be used to provide stipends for teachers who obtain national certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
Last Action: Vetoed by the Governor
HB 2814 Eissler / Van de Putte
Creates a dual language education pilot program running through August 1, 2013, to examine dual language programs and the effect on a student’s ability to graduate from high school. Districts must commit to operate a dual language program for at least 3 years, and preference will be given to districts demonstrating the potential to expand the program through middle and high school, offer at least one language in addition to the language other that English initially used in the program, implement the program in kindergarten, and demonstrate parent/teacher/community support. No more than 10 districts and 30 schools will be selected. The first year of the program must be limited to planning activities such as hiring and training teachers, ensuring parental and community support, and acquiring learning materials. Participating schools/districts must each establish a “community educational pipeline progress team” appointed by the school board to assist in development of the pilot project. The team must include educators, district administrators, and parents of students at a participating campus. The team will develop an academic improvement plan to consider the district’s educational problems that could be helped by the project and the resources necessary to ensure successful implementation. The school board will annually report to TEA including information on the project’s effects on academic progress; effects on student attendance/dropout rates; effects on student enrollment in high school; effects on teacher performance/retention; improvements in communications among students, parents, teachers and administrators; improvements in parental involvement; effects on community involvement and increases in student proficiency in technology that would help prepare students for becoming members of the workforce. The commissioner will spend up to $4 million to purchase language learning software using language immersion methods to support learning opportunities for up to 1 million students and employees for up to three years. The software will be made available by January 1, 2008.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 2864 Chisum / Shapiro
Authorizes a pilot program in rural districts with enrollment of under 3,000 students to finance technology-based supplemental instruction for students in grades 6-12. Funding would be in an amount not to exceed $200 for each student in grades 6-12. Funds can be used for instructional support; teacher training; tutoring or counseling; Internet-based distance learning opportunities aligned with the TEKS in English, math, science, social studies, and languages other than English; and distance learning opportunities providing college credit in those subject areas. Districts must provide matching funding of at least $100 per student in the eligible grade levels, and may use the high school allotment for that purpose. Participating districts must provide students with individual access to technology based supplemental instruction for at least 10 hours per week.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 3092 Hilderbran / Duncan
Provides that a student sent to a Texas Juvenile Probation Commission facility or a residential program is not considered to be a student of the school district in which the program or facility is physically located, so that the performance of those students does not affect the accountability ratings of the school district.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 3171 Swinford / Wentworth
Requires TEA to adopt a universal Internet safety and use curriculum, specifically including information on the danger of giving personal information that can be obtained via websites, the importance of copyright laws, and the consequences of plagiarism and illegal downloading of electronic media.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 3190 Giddings / Carona
Provides that a person may not operate a school bus if the person has been convicted of any driving while intoxicated offenses within the previous 10 years. Defines "multifunction school activity bus" and prohibits this type of bus from being painted National School Bus Glossy Yellow in order to differentiate between multifunction school activity buses and regular school buses. Requires bus drivers to wear seat belts if available. Prohibits operation of a school bus if the number of people exceeds design capacity or if the door is open. Requires a school bus evacuation training program and requires a school district to train students and teachers in emergency school bus evacuation at least twice a year.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 3259 Branch / Shapiro
Establishes a program under which a participating school district administers international assessment instruments to students in the district. The commissioner will compare performance of Texas students with students of the same grade level in other countries, compare the international assessment instruments with state assessment instruments and state educational goals, and provide professional development for educators in the interpretation and use of results of the international assessment instruments. The program may be funded up to $2 million. The commissioner shall report results to the legislature, the governor and each school district.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 3457 Hochberg / Zaffirini
Prohibits idling of a school bus with a diesel engine while parked at a school or school event, except for the minimum time necessary to heat or cool the bus before departure (but not while students are boarding or disembarking), or as necessary to accommodate needs of a special education students (even if students are boarding or disembarking).
Last Action: Vetoed
HB 3485 King, Susan / Shapiro
Requires TEA to establish a panel to recommend revisions to the career/technology curriculum and to the program under which high school students can take advanced technical credit courses. SBOE must revise the career/technology TEKS no later than September 1, 2009, based on the recommendations of the panel. Provides that college credit may be earned in high school through IB, AP or dual credit courses, postsecondary courses provided for local credit or postsecondary advanced technical credit courses provided for state credit. Requires districts to report to TEA the number of students participating in the college credit program and earning college credit. Encourages districts to provide a personal graduation plan for each student entering grade 9 identifying a course of study that promotes college and workforce readiness. Provides that curriculum requirements for math taken after Algebra II or science after physics can be met by successfully completing an advanced career/technology course approved by SBOE for the purpose.
Requires the commissioner to develop a pilot program involving no more than five districts, providing funding for 8th grade students receiving career and technology instruction. TEA will report to the legislature on the effectiveness of the pilot program.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 3618 Raymond / Zaffirini
Creates a pilot program to prevent and detect obesity and Type 2 diabetes in school districts in a county with a population under 600,000 located on the Texas-Mexico border. Participating districts measure the height, weight, and blood glucose levels of K-8 students at the beginning of the year and at a later date, and would track those measurements through an Internet based data system. The entity administering the program would evaluate and analyze the data to determine the effectiveness of the program. The Department of State Health Services must employ one grant writer to assist districts.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 3659 Dunnam / Ellis, Rodney
Protects the identity of a student who is the victim of improper sexual contact by a school employee by prohibiting the name of the student from being released to the public.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
HB 3678 Howard, Charlie / Williams
Provides that districts must treat a student's voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint, in the same manner that the district treats a student's voluntary expression of a secular or other viewpoint on an otherwise permissible subject and may not discriminate against the student based on a religious viewpoint. Specifically allows for the expression of religious viewpoints in classroom assignments.
Requires districts to adopt a policy establishing a limited public forum for all student speakers during any school event at which a student is to speak publicly. The district must provide the forum in a manner that does not discriminate against a student’s voluntary expression of a religious viewpoint, develop a method for selecting student speakers for school events and graduation ceremonies, ensure that a student does not use obscene, vulgar, lewd or indecent language; and state in writing, orally, or both, that the student speech does not reflect the endorsement, position, or expression of the school district.
Students would be able to organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and “see you at the pole” gatherings. Religious groups must be given access to school facilities and permission to make announcements on the same basis as other non-curricular groups.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/08/07
HB 3699 McCall / Williams
Provides that the School Land Board has the authority to make prudent investments in real estate, either directly or through the services of fund advisors, managers, or consultants; and confirms the board's authority to manage the lands and other interests dedicated to PSF or the special fund account.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HB 3826 Morrison / Zaffirini
Adds to current requirements regarding eligibility for the 10% required admission rule for Texas public institutions of higher education. In addition to graduating in the top 10%, a student must complete the recommended or advanced high school program (or equivalent), or satisfy the ACT college readiness benchmark or score at least a 1,500 on the SAT. An exception to completion of the recommended or advanced program is included in a situation where the student’s school did not offer the required courses. A student who is the child of a peace officer or firefighter killed in the line of duty and who meets minimum requirements must also be admitted to a Texas public institution of higher education.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
HJR 19 Branch / Carona
Proposes a constitutional amendment regarding record votes. The amendment would require the Texas House and Senate to take record votes on final passage of a bill or resolution that is not purely ceremonial or honorary. An exception may be made for a bill or resolution of local impact. Record votes must also be taken on concurrence with the other house’s amendments and on adoption of a conference committee report. Record votes must be made available on the Internet for at least two years.
Last Action: 11-6-07 Election date
SB 6 Zaffirini
Addresses penalties for sex offenders; includes TCTA-initiated language strengthening the notification process and timelines under which districts and employees are notified of potentially dangerous students, and requiring students who are registered sex offenders to be placed in a DAEP or JJAEP for at least one semester. If the student is not under court supervision of any kind, the district may place the student in a regular classroom, unless it is determined that such a placement is a threat to students or the teacher, will disrupt the educational process, or is otherwise not in the best interests of the students. The placement of the student is reviewed after one semester by a committee that includes a teacher from the school the student would be attending, the student’s parole/probation officer (if there is none, then a representative of a local juvenile probation department), an instructor from the AEP, a school district designee and a school counselor. If a student transfers to a different district during the required alternative placement period, the new district may require an additional semester without reviewing the placement or may consider the time previously spent in a DAEP. The student’s placement in the AEP continues until it is determined that placement in the regular classroom is not a threat to students or teachers, will not disrupt the educational process, and is not contrary to the best interests of the students. Placement of a student receiving special education services must be reviewed by the ARD committee, which may request that the district convene a placement committee as described above to assist the ARD committee.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
SB 7 Hinojosa / Eissler
Requires annual training in CPR and the use of an automatic external defibrillator (AED) for certain staff, students, and volunteers. At least one AED unit must be available at each campus in the district and at each UIL athletic competition. Beginning with the 2008-2009 school year, instruction in CPR and AED usage will be included in the health curriculum TEKS. The commissioner of education will establish a pilot cardiovascular screening program for sixth graders at selected campuses.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 8 Janek / Flynn
Requires random testing for steroids for high school students participating in UIL athletic competitions. Testing will be administered at around 30% of high schools. Coaches in grades 7-12 must complete an educational program. UIL rules will address the period of time during which a student testing positive would be ineligible, and for students refusing testing. Test results are confidential. The state will pay for the testing.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 9 Shapiro / Branch
Requires national criminal background checks including fingerprinting for all employees (including substitute teachers), applicants, shared service providers, and contract employees that will have direct contact with students.
The bill requires a name-based CHRI review for student teachers and volunteers other than parents, guardians or grandparents of students enrolled in the district, except that one-time volunteers and volunteers that will be in the presence of a school employee would not be subject to background checks.
SBEC, upon receiving a report of an alleged incident of misconduct, to place a notice regarding the alleged incident on the educator's public certification records. SBEC may suspend or revoke a certificate or permit of a person who has been convicted of certain offenses, including moral turpitude; sexual or physical abuse of a minor; a felony offense involving the possession, transfer, sale, or distribution of a controlled substance; illegal transfer, appropriation or use of school district funds or property; or an attempt to obtain a teaching certificate in a fraudulent manner.
TEA will review criminal history information and notify districts if a person may not be hired or must be discharged.
Contract employees must have a national criminal background checks if they have continuing duties related to the contracting services or if they will have direct contact with students, unless there is no service provider available, in which case a district employee must accompany the contract employee.
A school district shall discharge or refuse to hire an applicant or employee convicted of a felony under Title 5 of the Penal Code (offenses against a person, such as murder, assault, kidnapping and sexual offenses), an offense requiring registration as a sex offender, an equivalent offense under the law of another state or federal law, or any offense where the victim is under 18 or is registered in public school. An exception exists for an employee who has worked for the district for at least 30 years and has complied with all the terms of the conviction.
A TCTA-initiated amendment provides that teacher certification information (such as exam scores) is confidential. A Senate addition allows disclosure of exam scores if the educator has failed the test more than 5 times.
Districts can pass the cost of the criminal background checks on to employees and others. Districts could also charge for volunteer name-based background checks.
SBEC must obtain all the required checks no later than September 1, 2011.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 82 Van de Putte / Eissler
Requires the commissioner of education to develop an extracurricular activities safety training program, that must be satisfactorily completed by each coach, trainer and sponsor of an athletic activity; a physician employed by the district or volunteering to assist with an athletic activity, unless the physician’s continuing education coursework includes emergency medicine; and marching band directors. The program must include certification by the Red Cross, American Heart Association, or other similar association, or the UIL. The program will include training in emergency action planning, CPR, communicating effectively with 9-1-1 and emergency personnel, recognizing symptoms of potentially catastrophic injuries, and the risks of diet supplements. Students participating in extracurricular athletic activities must complete forms regarding their medical history. Coaches and trainers are prohibited from encouraging or allowing students to participating in any potentially dangerous athletic technique that would unnecessarily endanger their health (specifically including the use of a helmet or other equipment as a weapon). Coaches/trainers must ensure that students are adequately hydrated and those requiring prescribed asthma medication have access to it, that emergency lanes in the area are open and clear, and that heatstroke prevention materials are available. A student who becomes unconscious during an activity may not return to that practice or competition or participate in further activity until cleared by a physician.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 135 Wentworth / Eissler
TCTA-initiated legislation prohibiting employment policies that restrict the ability of a school district employee to communicate directly with a member of the school board on matters relating to the operation of the school district. Certain inappropriate communications related to legal matters are prohibited.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 04/23/07
SB 136 Nelson / Branch
Requires the Texas School Safety Center to develop a program that all Texas school districts may use to inform students and their parents about online safety.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 158 Seliger / Eissler
Adds educational diagnosticians to the list of education professionals who must be certified, grandfathering uncertified educational diagnosticians who are currently employed, only for as long as they work for the same district. Educational diagnosticians are exempted from the minimum service time requirements that are required of other educators.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 230 Harris / Dutton
Clarifies the “school officials” referred to in current law that addresses who must be notified by a parole or probation office when a student returns/transfers to a school. The officials to be notified are the superintendent or a person designated by the superintendent of the school district to which the student is returned or transfers.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 247 Ellis / Van Arsdale
Provides a divestment procedure for investments by TRS in certain companies doing business in Sudan. Identified companies could be required to cease operations within one year or undertake humanitarian efforts in Sudan.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 01/08/08
SB 282 Gallegos / Dutton
Requires districts to notify parents of the availability of programs in the district under which a student may earn college credit, including advanced placement programs, dual credit programs, joint high school and college credit programs, and international baccalaureate programs.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 370 Shapiro / Eissler
TCTA-initiated legislation prohibiting districts from requiring employees to waive immunity from liability for acts for which they are immune from liability or an employee who acts in good faith to pay for or replace property that was in the employee's possession because of an act within the scope of employment, or an employee who acts in good faith to pay for certain equipment that is damaged, stolen, misplaced, or not returned, except under certain circumstances. That exception applies if the district enters into an agreement with an employee for the employee to assume financial responsibility for electronic textbook or technological equipment usage off school property or outside of a school-sponsored event in consideration for the ability of the school employee to use such equipment for personal business.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/17/07
SB 530 Nelson / Eissler
Requires that students in grades K – 5 must participate in physical activity for at least 30 minutes per day in P.E. or through a structured activity during daily recess, or for at least 135 minutes per week. This requirement begins with the 2007-08 school year.
Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 must participate in physical activity at least 30 minutes per day for at least 4 semesters during these grade levels. The current PE exemption for middle school students who participate in rigorous extracurricular activities is retained. The rules for grades 6, 7, and 8 begin in the 2008 – 2009 school year.
Students in grades 3-12 will have a physical assessment annually. School districts will compile the results of the assessments and provide results aggregated by grade level to TEA. Student and teacher names cannot be included. TEA will identify any correlation with student academic achievement, attendance, student obesity, discipline problems, and school meal programs.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 606 Ogden / Gattis
Provides that the name of a student or minor who is the victim of abuse or unlawful conduct by an educator is not public information.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 670 Ellis, Rodney / Vo
Allows a school board to adopt a resolution changing the length of trustee terms. The resolution must provide for a 3 or 4 year term and specify how the transition to the new term lengths will be done. The resolution must be adopted by December 31, 2007, and the transition must begin with the first board election in 2008.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 04/25/07
SB 673 Zaffirini / Eissler
Allows a student receiving special education services who has completed the fourth year of high school to participate in graduation ceremonies even though the student may continue with the IEP beyond the fourth year. The student does not receive an official diploma until he or she has completed the IEP.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 827 West, Royce / Patrick, Diane
Allows middle schools in large urban districts to apply for an agriculture project grant from the Texas Department of Agriculture, previously only available to elementary schools.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 883 Deuell / Laubenberg
Exempts school districts from having to pay impact fees charged by cities for new developments. The board of trustees of the district can consent to an impact fee by entering a contract with the political subdivision imposing the fees.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/25/07
SB 1031 Shapiro / Eissler
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
SB 1039 Lucio / Homer
TCTA-initiated legislation providing that a retiree returning to work under the 6-month exemption can work through June 15 without losing the June TRS pension check. Also provides that time spent attending professional development activities is not considered “work” that would jeopardize a pension check.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 1161 Jackson, Mike / Smith, Wayne
Increases the time frame required for a school district to report to authorities from seven to 10 days, if a student has not attended school on 10 or more days without an excuse.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 1433 Van de Putte / Rose
Creates the Employers for Education Excellence Award to honor employers that encourage and support employees who actively participate in school activities, as follows: “bronze” for an employer who implements a policy to encourage and support employees who attend parent-teacher conferences; “silver” for an employer who meets the bronze criterion and also implements a policy to encourage and support employees who volunteer in school activities; and “gold” for an employer who meets the silver requirements and also implements a policy to encourage and support employees who participate in student mentoring programs. Employers receiving an award will be presented a suitable certificate.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 1447 Duncan / Gattis
Authorizes the TRS Board of Directors to buy and sell certain investments and other instruments to efficiently manage and reduce the risk of the overall investment portfolio. TRS can contract with private professional investment managers to invest more than 30% of the fund. Investments in hedge funds are limited to not more than 5% of the total investment portfolio.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 05/17/07
SB 1456 Uresti / Castro
Requires TEA to maintain on its website links to information regarding the prevention of child abuse and to develop a training program related to the prevention of child abuse that a school district can use for staff development.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 1504 Van de Putte / Villarreal
Requires districts with schools located within 1,000 yards of a railroad track to establish a policy for responding to train derailments in the district's multihazard emergency operations plan.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
SB 1517 Janek / Hochberg
Specifies the advanced or honors courses that are exempt from inclusion in the grade average for purposes of determining extracurricular activity: AP and IB courses, and honors or dual credit courses in English, math, science, social studies, economics, or a language other than English.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 1713 Eltife / Patrick, Diane
Requires a county or school district to allow a parent to designate a grandparent's residence or child-care facility for the purpose of accessing transportation to and from the child's school if the location is on an approved route.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 1788 Shapiro / Madden
Creates a "State Virtual School Network", funded by the state, to provide education through electronic courses and programs beginning with the 2008-2009 school year. A student that participates must be less than 21 years of age on September 1, must not have graduated from high school, and must be eligible to enroll in public school. A student is eligible to enroll full time only if the student was enrolled in a Texas public school the preceding year or is the dependent of a member of the U.S. military, was previously enrolled in a Texas high school, and lives out of state due to a military deployment. A student not enrolled in public school may only take two electronic courses per semester.
Only districts rated academically acceptable or higher can serve as a provider. A course offered through the virtual network must be in a subject that is part of the required curriculum. A provider may offer the classroom portion of a driver’s education course, including the traffic safety curriculum, but not the lab portion.
Students taking an electronic course must take any tests required for students in a traditional classroom setting.
A district or charter school will receive state and local funding equal to the cost of the course plus 20%. A district may charge a fee not to exceed the lesser of $400 or the cost of providing the course.
For the 2008 – 2009 school year, courses will be provided for grades 9 – 12 only. For the 2009 – 2010 school year, grades 6, 7, and 8 will be added and, beginning in the 2010 – 2011 school year, courses will be offered at all grade levels.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
SB 1846 Duncan / Truitt
Increases the state TRS contribution rate to 6.58%, and provides that the state rate cannot be less than the active member contribution rate. The active member contribution can be increased by the TRS Board of Directors up to no more than 6.58% if needed to allow for the provision of a 13th check to retirees. The Board must provide the 13th check if it can be afforded (with or without the increased active contribution rate) without increasing the fund’s liability period beyond 31 years. The 13th check is in the normal monthly amount or $2,400, whichever is less.
A TCTA member-initiated provision exempts districts from paying the return-to-work surcharge for employees who retired prior to September 1, 2005.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
SB 1871 Zaffirini / Hochberg
Provides specific requirements for reporting data regarding bilingual and special language programs/students.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SB 1877 Averitt / Keffer
Adds teacher incentive pay, mentoring stipends and salary designated as health care supplementation to the definition of “salary and wages” required to be reported and deducted for member contributions to the TRS and to credit in benefit calculations.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 09/01/07
SB 1912 Shapleigh / Haggerty
Provides that SBEC can issue a temporary certificate to teachers from out-of-state who have not yet passed the certification exam(s); the term of the temporary certificate may not be less than one year for a teacher in a district experiencing increased student enrollment due to military base closures.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Earliest effective date 06/15/07
SCR 20 Ogden / Chisum
Allows the legislature to appropriate over $14 billion above the “spending cap” in order to fund the property tax reduction authorized in the 2006 special session.
Last Action: Signed by the Governor, Effective date 02/23/07
Web posted: 09/17/07
