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Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst has released the study topics for Senate committees for the upcoming months leading to the 2009 legislative session. These committee charges often provide a sneak peek into the leadership’s priorities for the next session.
Committees will meet several times during the interim to discuss and take testimony on these topics, and will develop recommendations in the fall to present to the Legislature. Many of the recommendations will then be incorporated into bills.
TCTA attends and testifies at the interim committee meetings to represent the teacher perspective, and provides comments on proposed recommendations. We welcome input from our members on any of these issues. TCTA has excerpted relevant issues from the Senate interim charges, and earlier reported on House interim charges.
Senate Education Committee
Study the effectiveness of public school programs serving special education students, including autistic students. Specifically, consider whether special education services are adequately preparing students for post-secondary opportunities. (TCTA note: Last session, Senate Education Committee Chair Florence Shapiro filed legislation that would have provided private school vouchers for autistic students.)
Conduct a comprehensive review of the public school accountability system and make recommendations for improvements. The review shall include indicators in the current system, measures of district and campus performance, public expectations, individual student achievement and measures of teacher, program and financial effectiveness. (TCTA note: This charge is very similar to the agenda of the Select Committee on Public School Accountability, which includes House, Senate and public members. TCTA Executive Committee member Susan Lewis was recently appointed to that committee. It is unclear how the Senate committee’s interim charge will relate to the work of the select committee; we anticipate continued efforts to tie student test scores to teacher evaluations and/or pay.)
Review and make recommendations regarding best practices for programs targeted to improve the academic success of limited English-proficient students.
Review the access and quality of career and technical education programs in the state and make recommendations to improve these programs to address the economic and workforce needs of this state.
Make recommendations for controlling the costs of textbooks from kindergarten through higher education, and monitor the implementation of HB 188, 80th Legislature, relating to instructional materials.
Review and make recommendations that address the state's facility infrastructure needs for public schools, ensuring that funding remains stable, reliable and equitable. Examine the need for funding adjustments for factors that affect the need for facilities, such as fast growth, age and condition of facilities, adequacy of space, construction and land costs, and concentration of students requiring smaller class sizes. (Joint charge with Senate Finance Committee)
Review current property tax rates at school districts. Explore what mechanisms may exist to prevent any future constitutional funding challenges. Review any funding issues that are particular to certain types of school districts, such as fast growth districts. (Joint charge with Senate Finance Committee)
Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Education Committee, 80th Legislature, Regular Session, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance and/or complete implementation. Specifically, monitor the implementation of HB 2237, relating to grants and programs for dropout prevention, high school success and college and workforce readiness in public schools. Include a review of the revised methodology the Texas Education Agency uses to calculate the dropout rate. Report on the implementation of education reforms in House Bill 1, 79th Third Called Special Session. The review should include: the implementation of the high school allotment, the development of the best practices clearinghouse and the electronic student records system, the alignment of curriculum to attain college readiness, student improvement/growth models and access to college credit in high school. The committee should also study and make recommendations on how to continue strengthening the P-16 Initiative to promote college attendance in this state.
Senate Finance Committee
Study the feasibility and the advisability of establishing an investment policy that is consistent across all state trust funds, including the trust funds of the Employees Retirement System, the Teachers Retirement System, the Permanent University Fund, and the Permanent School Fund. Identify best investment policies for state trust funds. Examine recent portfolio diversification strategies and the effect they have on long-term fund performance. The recommendations should consider what is an acceptable rate of return, an acceptable degree of risk, and the appropriateness of certain investments. (Joint charge with Senate State Affairs Committee) (TCTA note: This charge provides legislators the opportunity to review and comment on the new TRS investment strategy that expands and diversifies the TRS portfolio to include hedge funds, real estate, and other alternative investments.)
Monitor and provide a brief update on …SB 247, relating to Sudan divestment, and make recommendations about whether to include Iran in the divestment strategy. (TCTA note: SB 247 required TRS and ERS to divest of certain companies doing business in Sudan. Subsequently, Gov. Rick Perry asked TRS to consider a similar strategy for companies in Iran.)
Subcommittee on Property Appraisal and Revenue Caps:
Study the cost and benefit to the state of projects approved by school districts limiting the value of business investment under the Texas Economic Development Act (Ch 313, Tax Code), and the funding impact on public schools.
Review the practice of school districts approving budgets contingent on the passage of a rate-rollback election.
Senate Government Organization Committee
Examine criminal background check requirements across Texas health and human service, law enforcement, and education agencies, as well as other licensed professionals. Determine best practices, develop cross-agency standards, and make recommendations for reducing costs and streamlining the process.
Senate State Affairs Committee
Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of phasing in a defined-contribution pension for future employees versus the existing defined-benefit pension plan. Study options for transition or implementation issues and how the phase-in could be structured. Evaluate the possibility of requiring the state employee contribution rate to meet the annually required contribution for the statewide retirement funds each biennium in order to prevent unfunded liabilities. (TCTA note: TCTA opposes the conversion of the Teacher Retirement System pension fund to a defined contribution plan – such a plan removes the guaranteed benefit level inherent in the current structure. It is interesting to note that this charge specifies that the proposed change would be contemplated only for future employees.)
Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the State Affairs Committee, 80th Legislature, Regular Session, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. In particular, monitor and report on the effect of HB 2365, which allows public entities to report "other post employment benefits" (OPEBs) on a statutory modified accrual basis, including any effect on auditor opinions, bond ratings, or other fiscal issues. Monitor the implementation of …Senate Bill 1846, relating to TRS. (TCTA note: Re: HB 2365 - federal law required TRS and other governmental entities to report the long-term costs of providing retiree health insurance. Because the TRS-Care plan is not pre-funded, the long-term liabilities are large, and some feared that bond ratings for the state might be affected; legislation was passed to allow TRS to report liabilities in a different manner than that provided for in the federal regulations. Re: HB 1846 – this is the bill that included the latest round of TRS changes, including the increased state contribution to TRS.)
