The Senate Committee on Education published its interim report to the 87th Legislature. The report covers the recommendations for interim charges 1-4 regarding COVID-19, the teacher workforce, adult education, digital learning, and special education.
The report also includes letters from senators to the committee chair regarding the report. We spotlighted some of the content of those letters below:
Sen. Judith Zaffirini stated her concerns on the virtual learning portion of the report including the report lacking recommendations regarding how the Legislature can close the connectivity gap, the need for investments applied to a in-person education, and her reservations about the recommendation to make permanent the temporary actions taken by the State Board of Educator Certification regarding virtual teaching observations.
Sen. Royce West shared his concerns that recommendations don’t address the shortcomings in the states’ virtual learning strategy, which include the need for 100% connectivity, and raises concerns with the transition to online testing related to the STAAR.
Sen. Beverly Powell suggested before they entertain initiatives such as expanding the Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN) or transitioning to online STAAR testing, “the 87th Legislature must eliminate the digital divide by developing long term solutions that include expanding high-speed internet access.” Powell also stated she does not support eliminating the 3-course limit for TxVSN catalog courses but rather fully supports resolving the “seat time” funding dilemma so that “public schools can provide distance learning alternatives during crises or when they deem appropriate. The majority of school districts are capable of delivering a district online curriculum, but due to the ‘seat time’ funding rules, they are experiencing financial roadblocks.
Sen. Paul Bettencourt remarked on the success of the Do-Not Hire registry which was language from SB 1256 that was incorporated into HB 3.
Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. stated the need to expand broadband and connectivity and to not “allow the widespread adoption of virtual learning to erode our support of classroom learning.”
More details including the complete text of the Senator’s letters, the background of recommendations, and sources can be found in the complete report.
Spotlight on Recommendations
Interim Charge Related to COVID-19 Pandemic
- Explore methods to offer increased hours of instruction for students adversely affected by school closures and distance education related learning loss
- Review methods TEA has used to create stability in funding to districts while allowing districts the flexibility to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances
- Consider legislation to codify temporary measures
- Review seat-time funding requirements currently in place for districts offering distance education options, to include and accommodate for hybrid models that share instruction time between the brick and mortar classroom and an online setting
- Expand the training and technical support for teachers and educators as the digital education landscape continues to grow
Charge #1 – Teacher Workforce
- Review existing teacher training, professional development, and continued education as noted by the Texas teacher workforce workgroup, and examine whether they are appropriate, should be reduced, eliminated or increased to improve student academic outcomes
- Continue programs offered through HB 3 that increase teacher compensation and provide incentives for high-performing teachers to stay in the classroom
- Review and continue programs currently offered by TEA to offer professional development regarding education in a distance learning environment
- Review temporary actions taken by SBEC regarding virtual teaching observations and consider legislation to make these permanent
- Review temporary actions taken by TEA to assist and accommodate high quality teacher preparation programs and consider legislation to make these permanent
Charge #2 – Adult Education
- Explore models to provide permanent and stable funding for adult education high schools, including models that are based on enrollment funding in conjunction with performance-based completion models
- Explore adult education models that maximize dual enrollment options for adult learners.
- Consider legislation addressing adult education accountability models
Charge #3 – Digital Learning
- Continue to study options that increase access to online and distance learning models
- Review seat-time funding requirements currently in place for districts offering distance education options, to include and accommodate for hybrid models that share instruction time between the brick and mortar classroom and an online setting
- Consider legislation to remove the three-course limit for TXVSN catalog courses
- Review the method and process by which districts are authorized to receive full funding for offering full-time online learning to any student in the state, and consider legislation to create processes for adding and removing authorizations from districts based on need and performance
- Review current waivers granted by TEA to allow any district to submit online courses to the TXVSN course catalogue to be used by other districts, and consider legislation to make these waivers permanent
Charge #4 – Special Education
- Continue to review and monitor TEA efforts to support special education through both its strategic action plan and special education corrective action plan
- Review and consider recommendations offered by the Special Education Advisory Committee created by HB 3 (86R) in their report to the 87th Legislature
- Review funding of instructional arrangement and alternatives that contemplate actual costs of education
Charge #5 – Monitoring
House Bill 3, relating to public school finance and public education
- Prioritize continued funding for educational reforms made through HB 3 in the 86th Legislative Session
- Review the unintended consequences of HB 3 for which the Commissioner has taken temporary corrective measures and evaluate statutory corrections, to include review of the process by which small and midsize districts receive CTE funding
- Study options between current year appraised values and current year property tax collections as it related to local collections
- Continue to monitor ongoing implementation and rulemaking related to HB 3 educational reforms
House Bill 3906, relating to the assessment of public school students
- Consider legislation directing TEA to continue STAAR reforms contemplated by HB 3906, to include transition to online testing and pilot of STAAR replacement
- Review the implementation to online testing timeline created by HB 3906, and consider a study to review district capabilities to transition to online testing
- Review the timeframe of implementation regarding the cap on the number of multiple choice questions on STAAR