The Senate Committee on Education has released its interim report to the 89th Legislature. The report covers reading and math readiness, testing reform, COVID-19 funding oversight, K-12 college pathways, instructional materials, library procurement, and health instruction. Sen. Drew Springer (R-Weatherford) did not sign the report. See below for a spotlight on recommendations from the report.
Reading and Math Readiness
- Reinstate the release of annual A-F accountability ratings to campuses and school systems to ensure transparency of education outcomes that allow for responsive decision-making and resource allocation to improve student achievement.
- Strengthen Texas’ policy framework regarding early progress monitoring to ensure school systems utilize valid and reliable screening and diagnostics to identify reading and math learning gaps in K-3, followed by:
- Timely parent notification with reliable information on their student’s progress and resources to effectively support at-home learning
- Providing targeted, research-based support and high-quality interventions to struggling students to get them back on track academically
- Providing teachers across foundational subjects in reading and math with additional resources such as data literacy training, instructional coaching, and intervention training and capacity supports
- Expand access to high-quality professional development for math teachers, by scaling or providing appropriate incentives for participation in Math Academies.
- Expand the Early Education Allotment so that Pre-K 3 & 4 students generate the weight (in addition to K-3 students as is currently in statute), to provide school systems more resources for evidence-based acceleration strategies from Pre-K to 3rd grade.
- Expand the Additional Days School Year Program (ADSY) and ease barriers to entry to allow more school systems to participate, accelerate student learning, and close academic achievement gaps by:
- Allowing middle schools to be eligible in addition to elementary campuses
- Incentivizing schools to offer more extended learning time by providing additional resources to those providing students the most additional days
- Increase the weights for the State Compensatory Education Allotment so that evidence-based learning acceleration supports can be provided to students furthest behind.
Testing Reform
- Continuation of the Texas Through-Year Assessment Pilot to evaluate remaining questions and feasibility of applying evaluations statewide, and consideration of potentially implementing and scaling the alternative model identified by TEA.
- Maintenance of a valid and transparent summative testing system that evaluates student proficiency on Texas’ educational standards and provides critical insights to inform instructional practices. Consider reforms to reduce the length of summative assessments and enhance the current optional interim assessments to assess and monitor student learning.
Improving K-12 College Pathways
- Enhance College and Career Advising:
- Clearly define “advising” and the role of an “advisor” in the Texas Education Code as well as what constitutes effective advisor training
- Ensure adequate student-to-advisor ratios, year round support, and dedicated advisors to enable effective advising that guides students toward courses aligned with their postsecondary goals and provides strong returns on investment including dedicated support related to student success initiatives such as dual credit, IBCs, and AP coursework
- Require data collection and transparency linked to student outcomes to determine effectiveness
- Expand Access to Underserved Students: Invest in programs like H.B. 8’s FAST initiative to ensure all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, have access to dual credit opportunities.
- Focus on Cost Transparency: Require districts and colleges to report the average costs of dual credit courses to address affordability concerns for families.
- Leverage Data for Continuous Improvement: Use mandated reporting under SB 25 (86R) and HB 8 (88R) to identify gaps in credit transfer and develop targeted interventions.
- Increase transparency: Require high school advisors to provide notice to families interested in enrolling in a dual credit, advanced placement, international baccalaureate or any other college-level program that credit earned may or may not apply towards a student’s core curriculum upon transfer to another institution.
- AP and Dual Credit Parity: Consider legislation to require school districts to provide equal weighting of Advanced Placement and Dual Credit courses for GPA calculation.
Monitoring Agencies and Legislation Implementation
- Sheriff Meetings Clarifications: The Legislature should clarify how often required semiannual sheriff meetings must be conducted. The current language requiring “Semi-annual meetings” should be adjusted to reflect at least two meetings.
- The Legislature should continue to explore the appropriate balance between a mixed state-local funding partnership in a heightened environment of increased threats in school settings.
- Increase Capacity to Train Armed Security Personnel: The pool of trainers for school employees or contractors that carry on campus to meet a school district’s good cause exception for the armed commissioner peace officer requirement is not sufficient to meet the demand. The state should explore innovative solutions to increase supply, such as allowing Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) trainers to train security personnel at districts that pursue a good cause exception.
School Library Procurement and Content Policies
- Definition of Indecent Material: Amend the statute to include the term “indecent material,” which aligns with the case precedence and the existing Federal Communications Commission (FCC) standard.
- Provide a Minimum Guidance Framework for School District Review of Library Materials: Ensure parents rights are protected by establishing a baseline for school district review of library materials
- Explore options for enforcement of minimum collection standards and library book review procedures.
High-Quality Instructional Materials
- Require the Texas Education Agency to monitor and report annually on the implementation of approved HQIM by LEAs. This report should include costs incurred by districts to implement, the specific products districts purchase to be used in classes, the outcomes the district have while implementing these materials, and, if able, the fidelity of implementation by LEAs.
- Further consideration of enhanced funding for OER approved materials might help defray any newfound additional implementation costs.
Parent-Approved Health Education
- Restore the parental “Opt-In” requirement for human sexuality instruction: Parental involvement is the most significant factor for student success, and the State of Texas must ensure that parents are connected and engaged in their children’s education. The legislature must require explicit parental consent before enrolling students in sensitive subjects such as sex education and mandate clear notification and access to instructional materials.
