The Sunset Advisory Commission met to make decisions on and modifications to staff reports for multiple agencies as well as to hear staff presentations and receive agency responses for additional agencies. This report focuses only on discussion of the Texas Education Agency Report.
Texas Education Agency
Issues 6.1 and 6.3 were severed and the remainder of the recommendations were adopted.
Issue 6.1, 6.3
- Burkett noted she believes it is important that credentialing of educators be done by experienced professionals who understand firsthand what it takes to serve children in the classroom; there is no requirement that the Commissioner of Education have any classroom or education experience; before the State Board for Educator Certification is abolished, need to give TEA the time to resolve concerns in the report
- Burkett does not understand what the benefit would be in establishing an advisory committee to regulate educators; seems like they are recommending that TEA trade one committee for another
- Adopted
- 8 for, 2 against, 1 present not voting
New Issue 11
- Luce recommended giving charters the ability to present evidence at an informal hearing; suggesting TEA give that ability in this management action
- Hinojosa noted the process for revoking charters should not be delayed so long that it harms students; asked if under the current process charters are not allowed the ability to make a presentation
- Luce noted his intent is to get a little more due process in the area
- Hinojosa does not want the charters to be able to delay the process if the charter needs to be revoked; not against due process
- Commissioner of Education Michael Williams noted there are two different revocation processes; one requires that three years in a row of either academic or financial failure of a charter requires the commissioner to revoke a charter; due process is given in year one and year two during an informal review
- Luce withdrew his motion
New Issue 12
- Price explained the issue for Rep. Harold Dutton who was not in attendance; this would require the State Board of Educator Certification and TEA to review pre-k certification and best practices to determine if they are meeting the needs of pre-k students; then, if warranted, to revise certification
- Schwertner asked Commissioner Williams how the agency determines how to act when they are allowed by the legislature to review and change something if they determine it necessary
- When the legislature puts a suggestion in writing it should be taken seriously and moved forward
- No motion made on the new issue
New Issue 13
- Price explained again for Dutton; this stablishes an Office of Early Learning at TEA to collect data and encourage local solutions for educational and financial data to provide leadership and assistance to districts and other partnering entities, collect necessary data to improve best practices, and encourage local solutions, thus increasing accountability and efficiency, while improving outcomes
- Hinojosa asked if TEA is already performing this service
- Sunset staff replied that they are but not in the format of having an Office of Early Learning
- No motion made on the new issue