The House Committee on Human Services has published their Interim Report to the 84th Legislature. See below for interim charges assigned to the committee and recommendations related to those charges:
Charge I – HB 5 (83R) – Monitor the implementation of HB 5 (83R) and report on recommendations for improvement. Work with the Texas Education Agency, the State Board of Education, and public and higher education stakeholders to ensure the creation of additional rigorous mathematics and science courses needed to address the current and projected needs of the state's workforce.
Recommendations:
- Maintain the framework and structure of House Bill 5 to ensure stability in the system for students and districts.
- Expand opportunities for districts to offer academic advising and counseling to middle and high school students to ensure students and parents have the opportunity to best pursue their postsecondary goals.
- Explore opportunities to create incentives for collaborations between public education, higher education and workforce at the local level.
Charge II – Student Achievement – Explore innovative, research-based options for improving student achievement beyond standardized test scores. Evaluate standards for effective campus management as well as teacher preparation, certification, and training. Review current teacher evaluation tools and instructional methods, such as project-based learning, and recommend any improvements that would promote improved student achievement. Engage stakeholders on how to recruit and retain more of our "best and brightest" into the teaching profession.
Recommendations:
- Continue to monitor implementation of T-TESS to ensure alignment with legislative goals for education.
Charge III – School Board Governance – Solicit input from leading authorities on the traits and characteristics of good governance, effective checks and balances between the board and administration and the effective relationship between a board and the superintendent. Review current oversight authority by the Texas Education Agency over school board policies on governance. Make recommendations on trustee training, potential sanctions, and means of grievances, as well as recommendations on whether the role of trustee or superintendent needs to be more clearly defined.
Recommendations
- Consider a mechanism for the removal of misbehaving school board members not acting in the best interest of the district.
- Consider penalties for school board members not completing their required training.
Charge IV – Underperforming Schools – Review successful strategies and methods that have improved student achievement at chronically underperforming schools. Identify alternatives that could be offered to current students who are attending these schools and determine how to turn these schools around. Identify the benefits and concerns with alternative governance of underperforming schools.
Recommendations:
- Ensure that efforts designed to improve the performance of underperforming schools are comprehensive and supported adequately by state policy.
- Ensure that alternative governance structures do not preclude other options for turnaround and provide an opportunity for the public to participate in the oversight of the school.
Charge V – TEKS – Review the broad scope and breadth of the current TEKS in the tested grades, including the format, testing calendar, and the limitation on instructional days available. Recommend options to streamline the assessment of TEKS and focus on core concepts. Review current federal testing requirements in grades 3-8 to determine if testing relief is possible.
Recommendations
- Consider ways to make state assessments more meaningful and useful for students, parents and educators.
Charge VI – Harris County Department of Education – Examine the role of the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) in serving school districts. Review the programs and services of HCDE, specifically the department’s ability to assist school districts to operate more efficiently. Report any costs or savings the HCDE provides districts and taxpayers. Make recommendations to improve the operation of the HCDE.
Recommendations
- Continue to periodically review Harris County Department of Education and Dallas County Schools to confirm that they continue to meet the needs of their counties.
Charge VII – Bond Issuance – Review the state regulatory and administrative systems related to public school bond issuances. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Investments and
Financial Services)
No Recommendations
Charge VIII – School Discipline – Study the impact of SB 393 (83R) and SB 1114 (83R). Assess the impact of school discipline and school-based policing on referrals to the municipal, justice, and juvenile courts, and identify judicial policies or initiatives designed to reduce referrals without having a negative impact on school safety. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Corrections)
Recommendations
- Create mechanisms for engaging parents in the school disciplinary process especially for repeat offenders.
- Continue to monitor the impact of the bills on school safety.
Charge IX – Implementation of 83rd Legislation – Conduct legislative oversight and monitoring of the agencies and programs under the committee’s jurisdiction and the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 83rd Legislature. In conducting this oversight, the committee should:
consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate;
determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and
identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.
No Recommendations
