Legislative UpdateLegislative Update Presented to Board of Trustees Dr. Maroba Zoeller, Chief Governmental Relations OfficerApril 27, 2015

Total Bills Filed – 6,442 Bills Related to Education – 1,037

 LEGISLATIVE TIMELINE

Days Remaining: 36 Dates of Interest:

• May 11 – Last day for House committees to report House bills from committee

• May 14 – Last day for House to hear House bills on second reading

• May 23 – Last day for House committees to report Senate bills from committee

• May 26 – Last day for House to hear Senate bills on second reading

• May 31 – Last day for House to adopt conference committee reports

• June 1 – Sine Die

84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

 Budget Conference Committee Members Named in Both ChambersThe Texas Senate named the following members to the conference committee that will work with House members to negotiate differences on HB 1, the state budget bill: Sen. Jane Nelson, chair (R–Flower Mound)Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D–McAllen)Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Houston)Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R–Brenham)Sen. Charles Schwertner  (R–Georgetown) The House members named to the conference committee are: Rep. John Otto (R–Dayton)Rep. Trent Ashby (R–Lufkin)Rep. Sarah Davis (R–West University Place)Rep. Larry Gonzales (R–Round Rock)Rep. Sylvester Turner (D–Houston)

Recent Actions in the 84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

BUDGET HB 1759, Aycock – Committee substitute voted out favorably 4/21/15

$3 Billion (a little less than 4% increase) Basic Allotment – Increase to $5,888 from $5,040

Higher Basic Allotment increases allocations for special ed, compensatory ed, bilingual ed, gifted/talented ed, and career/technical ed

Eliminates: • Cost of Education Index • Transportation funding • High School Allotment • Staff Allotment • 1992-93 Chapter 41 revenue hold harmless• ASATR – scheduled for elimination in 2017-18 Reduces mid-size adjustment and small district Fractional funding mix Hold harmless for 2 years for districts losing funding

Recent Actions in the 84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Truancy The Senate passed SB 106 by Sen. John Whitmire April 22, with a vote of 26 to 5. The bill, which would treat truancy as a civil court matter, now goes to the House.

Vouchers On 4/20, the Senate passed SB 4, and sent to the House on 4/22, a tax credit program (aka vouchers) to fund scholarships to private schools for students. The bill now moves to the House where it faces a tougher challenge.

Epi-Pens Senate passed on April 15, SB 66, authored by Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and relating to the use of epinephrine auto-injectors on public school and open-enrollment charter school campuses, passed out of the Senate and moves on to the House for consideration. The bill requires that unassigned epinephrine auto-injectors be available on all public school campuses and off-campus school events.

Recent Actions in the 84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

A-F CAMPUS RATING SYSTEM – SB 6 , Taylor Scheduled for Public Hearing April 28th. Heard in House Public Education Committee April 3: Passed by Senate with 2 amendments: Applies an A through F state accountability ratings to campuses for 2016-2017.• Requires Commissioner to provide campus and district grades for

each indicator• Delays implementation until 2017-18 so it follows a review of the

accountability system called for in Sen. Taylor’s SB 120, which has passed out of Senate Ed Committee, but not passed the full Senate.

GRADUATION COMMITTEES – CSSB 149, Seliger passed as amended 4/22Amendment allows seniors alternative to up to 2 EOC exams; requires seniors who met all other course requirements for graduation to present a project, or portfolio related to the EOC subject to demonstrate mastery to committee.

 

Recent Actions in the 84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

- Voted out of Senate Education Committee 4/23

- SB 313 by Kel Seliger would establish procedures for the SBOE to review and modify the TEKS in the foundation subjects (English language arts, math, science, and social studies) by narrowing the content and scope of the standards and skills for each subject and grade level

SB 1434 by Van Taylor relates to counting time spent by students participating in certain approved off-campus instructional programs in calculation of the average daily attendance for a school district or open-enrollment charter school. (Sent to the local and uncontested calendar)

SB 894 by Larry Taylor would remove limits on the number of virtual courses in which students may be enrolled (and would make other changes to the state virtual school network)

Recent Actions in the 84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

TAX ROLLBACK

HB 964 , Howard - Left pending in Committee 4/21/12

Relating to the calculation of the rollback tax rate of a school districtProvides future flexibility to a school district, such as Allen, that had a TRE election approving to go to a higher M&O tax rate ($1.17 for Allen). The bill would allow a district to lower the M&O tax rate and then, if needed, raise the M&O tax rate in a subsequent year without requiring another TRE election – as long as the original TRE election was less than 10 years ago.

 

 

Recent Actions in the 84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

PREKINDERGARTEN HB 4, Huberty ,4-18-15 referred to Senate Committee on Senate Finance; voted from House Committee March 23,

This bill creates the basis for a high quality prekindergarten grant program.The commissioner is charged with establishing a funding program. That program is in addition to any funding provided by the Foundation School Program. The curriculum must include the prekindergarten guidelines established by TEA, and each teacher must be certified. As part of the grant program, school districts must develop a parent engagement plan. The commissioner must evaluate the use and effectiveness of funding in improving student learning

 

 

Recent Actions in the 84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The Board of Trustees of Allen ISD began working with the Superintendent and Cabinet in Mid-November to develop a Legislative Agenda that would identify their priorities for the 84th Legislative Session. Several community agencies and organizations signed a Resolution of support for those priorities, which include:

• Instructional Calendar• Chapter 21 contracts• Funding Issues• Accountability• Curriculum and Instruction• Vouchers

We are closely following numerous bills pertaining to these priorities that have been filed by both our local representatives and other legislators. Following is an update on only the most recent legislative action on some of those bills: 

BOARD PRIORITIES for the 84th LEGISLATIVE SESSION

AISD supports flexibility in the instructional calendar regarding designation of first day of instruction as no earlier than the second Monday in August.

No Recent Legislative Action – Sen. Van Taylor reports of the 3 House bills and 2 in the Senate, none are moving forward, and if not heard in Committee with next few weeks, will not be heard.

BOARD PRIORITIES – Instructional Calendar

HB 204, Leach – specifies school start date no earlier that 2nd Monday in August

SB 296, Van Taylor– repeals the law governing first day of instruction

AISD supports revocation of a certificate and termination of a Chapter 21 contract for employees convicted of any felony offense.

Section 21.058 of the Texas Education Code specifies the revocation of a certificate and termination of employment based on conviction of certain offenses.  Currently, only felony offenses under Title 5 of the penal code would result in automatic revocation of a certificate and termination of employment.  The district may have some options to terminate employment for a conviction of other felony offenses that are not a Title 5 felony. 

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: Left pending in committee 4-9-15; Referred to Senate Committee on Education 3/19 & House Public Education 3/23 SB 1497 , Van Taylor & Companion (Identical) HB 4006,

Laubenburg, JodieRelating to a requirement that a school district terminate or refuse to hire an employee convicted of certain offenses. As filed these bills, would modify the offenses for which a school district must discharge employees. The modification would include any felony offense or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.

BOARD PRIORITIES – Chapter 21 Contracts

AISD supports a reduction in the number of state-standardized tests in grades 3-8.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: Committee Report sent to Calendars 4-17-15; Reported favorably out of committee as substituted 4-6-15 CSHB 743, Huberty – requires an independent entity to empirically

determine validity and reliability of STAAR tests in grades 3-8C

BOARD PRIORITIES - Accountability

AISD supports a reduction in the number of state-standardized tests in grades 3-8.

• LEGISLATIVE ACTION:• SB 1302, Menendez Scheduled for Senate Education Committee

Hearing 4/28• Would reduce state standardized testing to Federal minimum

• HB 1164, VanDeaver – 4-29-15 Placed on General State Calendar; Introduced & referred to committee on House Public Education,• Directs TEA to no later than 9/1/16 revise its assessments of

English I, English II and grades 4 and 7, to address English language arts rather than writing.

• SB 1200, Taylor, Larry – 4-22-15 Placed on intent calendar • Establishes committee Next Generation Assessments &

Accountability CSHB 742, Huberty –4-22-15 Committee Report sent to to calendars;

• Eliminates assessments in social studies in grades 3-8 and eliminates U.S. History end-of-course test

BOARD PRIORITIES - Accountability

AISD supports narrowing the scope of the grade level TEKS in order to provide ample instructional time for students to learn to the depth and complexity of each student expectation.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: SB 313 by Kel Seliger Voted out of Senate Education Committee 4-23

• Would establish procedures for the SBOE to review and modify the TEKS in the foundation subjects (English language arts, math, science, and social studies) by narrowing the content and scope of the standards and skills for each subject and grade level

BOARD PRIORITIES - Curriculum & Instruction

AISD supports updating the Cost of Education Index (CEI) and tying it to a self-adjusting value.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: HB 1759 eliminates the CEI

HB 4 repeals the CEI because the Legislature has failed to adopt a revised CEI;

BOARD PRIORITIES – Funding Issues

 AISD supports adjusting the Equalized Wealth Level for Enrichment Taxes above the first 6 cents of enrichment tax effort.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION:

CSSB 945 by Larry Taylor, 4-27-15 Placed on Intent Calendar – Would add Education Code 42.101(a-1) to provide that the

district’s compressed tax rate for a district that adopted a maintenance and operations (M&O) tax rate for the 2005 tax year below the maximum rate permitted that year would include the portion of the district’s current M&O tax rate in excess of the first six cents above the district’s compressed tax rate under 42.101(a), until the district’s compressed tax rate computed in accordance with this new subsection is equal to the state maximum compressed tax rate. (Committee substitute passed)

BOARD PRIORITIES – Funding Issues

AISD supports adjusting the Equalized Wealth Level for Enrichment Taxes above the first 6 cents of enrichment tax effort

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: None

SB 246, Watson – changes the basis for reducing the basic allotment from the compressed tax rate to the adopted tax rate such that a district adopting at least a

$1.00 tax rate for M&O would receive the full basic allotment, regardless of its compressed rate. It would also change the calculation of the local share of Tier 1 of the formula system to lesser of the adopted rate or $1.00. SB 247, Watson - this bill would increase the yield for pennies above

the compressed rate plus six cents to the yield level of Tier 1. It would also change the equalized wealth level applicable to those pennies.

BOARD PRIORITIES - Funding Issues

AISD supports continuing state funding for state mandated increase in district’s contributions to the Teacher Retirement System (TRS).

LEGISLATIVE ACTION:HB 1, Otto & Nelson, 4-23-15 Senate appoints conferees Provides estimates for a proposal to change benefits or participation

in benefits of a public retirement system or to change the financial obligations of a public retirement system.

BOARD PRIORITIES – Funding Issues

AISD supports legislation that holds privately run schools that are receiving vouchers, tax payer savings grants, tax credits, tuition reimbursements, and any other program that diverts tax dollars to the same transparency standards and state and federal accountability requirements to which traditional public schools are held.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION: CSSB 4, Passed by Senate, 4/22 - Sent to House – Tax credit scholarships applicable to private schools – • Accredited by TEA or an organization recognized by the Texas Private

School Accreditation Commission; • Annual administration of a nationally norm-referenced assessment

instrument

• NOT the same standards and accountability requirements as public schools

BOARD PRIORITIES - Vouchers

As bills related to our Board Priorities are moved forward toward a vote, signatories on the Board Resolution are being advised by email of the impending action and background information regarding the bill. Language either supporting passage of the bill or encouraging votes against the bill, is included in that email message.

These bills will be tracked, and progress will be reported to the Board and community supporters.

Questions regarding the 84th Legislative Session should be directed to:

Dr. Maroba Zoeller, Chief Governmental Relations Officer maroba_zoeller@allenisd.org or 972-236-0618

Plan of Action for Legislative Advocacy