Subject search results

8 Document(s) [ Subject: High school graduation requirements ]

Committee: Senate Education
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Academically unacceptable schools | Charter schools | Dallas County Schools | Districts of innovation | Early childhood education | Education Agency, Texas | Educational accountability | Educational technology | Harris County Department of Education | High school graduation requirements | Internet | Middle school students | Middle schools | Scholarships | School boards | School choice | School counselors | School finance | School vouchers | Special education | Teacher retention | Teacher training | Teacher-student relationships | Technology education | Video cameras and recordings |
Library Call Number: L1836.84 Ed83
Session: 84th R.S. (2015)
Online version: View report [50 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. School Choice: Study school choice programs enacted in states across the nation, examining education savings account and tax credit scholarship programs in particular. Examine the implementation process used in other states and what impact these programs have had on student academics and state and local district budgets. Make recommendations on which choice plan could best serve Texas students.
2. Charter School Approval, Expansion, Revocation: Study the approval, expansion, and revocation of public charter schools in Texas, including the implementation of SB 2, 83rd R.S. and other legislation. In particular, examine the issues surrounding the disposition of state property when charters are revoked, non-renewed, or cease to operate. Make recommendations regarding policies to ensure an efficient and effective transfer and disposal of state property that preserves state interest while ensuring that certain investment capital and the bond market supporting charter construction remains robust. In addition, make recommendations if needed to clarify policies regarding expansion of existing high-quality charter schools in Texas. Additionally, examine facility funding for charter schools in other states and make recommendations on facility funding assistance for charter schools in Texas.
3. Teacher Preparation, Retention, Shortages: Study teacher shortage and retention issues in Texas and evaluate educator preparation programs to determine if these programs are preparing educators for the rigors of the 21st century classroom. In particular, examine the shortages of ELL, special education, and STEM educators across the state and identify the issues creating a shortage. Make recommendations to improve educator preparation throughout the state and increase certification rates. (Joint Charge with Senate Higher Education)
4. Efficiency/Productivity Review: Conduct a comprehensive performance review of all public schools in Texas, examining ways to improve efficiency, productivity, and student academic outcomes. Study performance-based funding mechanisms that allocate dollars based upon achievement versus attendance. Identify any state mandates which hinder student performance, district and campus innovation, and efficiency and productivity overall.
5. Broadband Access: Evaluate digital learning opportunities in classrooms and examine existing barriers to schools' ability to provide a digital learning environment. In particular, study the availability of affordable broadband access to Page 2 of 5 school districts across Texas. Examine different options for improving access to broadband service in all areas of the state, for districts and student homes. Make recommendations on a statewide plan for building the necessary infrastructure to provide a competitive, free-market environment in broadband service.
6. Teacher-Student Relationships/Student Safety: Study the recent rise of inappropriate teacher-student relationships, the impact of social media interaction between teachers and students, and examine the current efforts by the Texas Education Agency, schools, law enforcement, and the courts to investigate and prosecute any educator engaged in inappropriate relationships. Determine what recommendations, if any, are needed to improve student safety, including increasing agency staff, adjusting penalties, and strengthening efforts to sanction educators' certificates for misconduct. Study and address the issue of prevention through training and education of school employees.
7. County School Systems: Examine the structure and performance of the two remaining county-based school systems, Harris County Department of Education and Dallas County Schools. In particular, study the efficiency of these entities and determine whether those services are duplicative with education service centers or could be absorbed by education service centers.
8. School Board Governance, Low-Performing Schools: Examine current school board governance policies and practices and make recommendations that could improve the focus, attitudes, and outcomes of Texas school boards, districts, and students. Study existing board training requirements for public schools and make suggestions to educate school board trustees of policies that could achieve better student outcomes, particularly within the framework set for low-performing schools in House Bill 1842 (HB1842)(84R).
9. Monitoring Charge: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Education and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, monitor the following: 1) Legislation establishing state intervention procedures for public schools with academically unsuccessful ratings of at least two consecutive school years; and providing school districts the ability to be designated as a district of innovation; 2) Initiatives to build a high-quality pre-kindergarten grant program; 3) Legislation to raise standards of teacher preparation programs and establish a more consistent, high-quality accountability system; 4) Program to require the placement and use of video cameras in self-contained classrooms or other settings providing special education services to students; 5) Legislation to address training support for counselors, and advising courses for middle school students; and 6) Legislation to establish criteria for alternative measures of assessments to meet high school graduation requirements.
Committee: House Public Education
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Academic performance | Curriculum | Dallas County Schools | Educational accountability | Educational technology | Educational tests | Harris County | High school graduation requirements | School boards | School discipline | School superintendents | Teacher evaluations | Teacher quality | Teacher training | Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills | Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System | Truancy |
Library Call Number: L1836.83 Ed84h
Session: 83rd R.S. (2013)
Online version: View report [48 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Monitor the implementation of HB 5, 83rd R.S. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Study the impact of SB 393, 83rd R.S. and SB 1114, 83rd R.S.. 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)
8. 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: a. consider any reforms to state agencies to make them more responsive to Texas taxpayers and citizens; b. identify issues regarding the agency or its governance that may be appropriate to investigate, improve, remedy, or eliminate; c. determine whether an agency is operating in a transparent and efficient manner; and d. identify opportunities to streamline programs and services while maintaining the mission of the agency and its programs.
Committee: House Public Education
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Academic performance | Alternative schools | Charter schools | Disciplinary alternative education programs | Educational accountability | Grade-point averages | High school graduation requirements | Juvenile justice alternative education programs | Parent-school relationships | School discipline | State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness | University Interscholastic League | University of Texas at Austin |
Library Call Number: L1836.82 Ed84h
Session: 82nd R.S. (2011)
Online version: View report [22 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Conduct a review of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and make recommendations as needed.
2. Monitor state and local implementation of the new state assessment system (STAAR), specifically the impact on students, instruction, teachers, and graduation or promotion rates. Review how districts are implementing the requirement that the end-of-course assessment count for 15 percent of the student's course grade. Recommend any changes to graduation or testing requirements that promote instructional rigor and support postsecondary readiness while appropriately limiting an overreliance on standardized testing.
3. Evaluate the charter schools system in Texas. Examine success and failure stories in Texas and other states. Review the educational outcomes of students in charter schools compared to those in traditional schools. Identify any best practices and how those practices may be applied statewide. The study should include recommendations.
4. Review and make recommendations on the effectiveness of Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs) and Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs (JJAEPs) in reducing students' involvement in further disciplinary infractions. Determine the appropriate role of disciplinary alternative placements in promoting education achievement and how technology could be used to supplement education services. Consider appropriate placements in DAEPs or JJAEPs and consistent funding models for those programs. Consider options for counties without a JJAEP or inefficiently few placements in a JJAEP. Identify positive behavioral models that promote a learning environment for teachers to appropriately instruct while addressing any behavioral issues and enforcing student discipline.
5. Review methods and best practices in Texas and other states to encourage more parental and community involvement in the education of Texas children.
Committee: Joint Public Education, Select
Title: Interim Report - Alternative Instruction
Library Catalog Title: Alternative instructional arrangements : report and recommendations / Select Committee on Public Education.
Subjects: Alternative schools | Bilingual education | Curriculum | Education | Gifted and talented programs | High school graduation requirements | Magnet schools | School finance | Teacher quality | Teachers |
Library Call Number: L1836.67 ed84 2
Session: 67th R.S. (1981)
Online version: View report [53 pages  File size: 2,625 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Examine alternative education programs, magnet schools, and the merit of the twelfth grade in high school. Make recommendations on high school graduation requirements. *
2. Study the issues and concerns relating to public education in Texas, including curriculum reform, bilingual education, requirements relating to teacher competency, and alternative methods of financing.
Committee: Joint Public Education, Select
Title: Interim Report - Executive Summary and Recommendations
Library Catalog Title: Executive summary and report of the Edit and Review Committee: report and recommendations. / Select Committee on Public Education.
Subjects: Alternative schools | Bilingual education | Curriculum | Education | Educational technology | Gifted and talented programs | High school graduation requirements | Magnet schools | School budgets | School buildings | School finance | Teacher quality | Teachers | Technology education |
Library Call Number: L1836.67 ed84 1
Session: 67th R.S. (1981)
Online version: View report [28 pages  File size: 1,498 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Examine alternative education programs, magnet schools, and the merit of the twelfth grade in high school. Make recommendations on high school graduation requirements. *
2. Study the various methodologies of instruction used in public schools relative to modern and anticipated technological advances. *
3. Study the financial implications involved in the construction and renovation of public school facilities. Make recommendations on alternative approaches to financing which would help school districts minimize interest rates and construction costs. Consider whether using the Permanent School fund to guarantee school bonds is a feasible method of assisting school districts in the capital debt situation. *
4. Study the issues and concerns relating to public education in Texas, including curriculum reform, bilingual education, requirements relating to teacher competency, and alternative methods of financing.
Supporting documents
Committee: Joint Public Education, Select
Title: SCR 22, 1st C.S.
Library Call Number: SCR 22, 1st C.S.
Session: 67th R.S. (1981)
Online version: View document [4 pages  File size: 889 kb]
Committee: House Public Education
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: To the speaker and members of the Texas House of Representatives, 66th Legislature : report of the / Committee on Public Education, Texas House of Representatives, 65th Legislature.
Subjects: Curriculum | Education Agency, Texas | High school graduation rates | High school graduation requirements | School districts | Special education |
Library Call Number: L1836.65 ed83p
Session: 65th R.S. (1977)
Online version: View report [66 pages  File size: 2,086 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Oversight responsibility of agency expenditures and related transactions. This function shall encompass a review and monitoring of all appropriations-related actions of those agencies assigned to this committee for appropriative purposes during the 65th Regular Session of the Legislature, to wit: State Board of Education (Central Education Agency) (Schools for the Blind and Deaf)
2. A study of the possibilities of an "early graduation" program from public schools. This study should include recommendations as to the means by which such a program could be initiated and enacted as well as a review of alternatives to twelve full years of public education, such as vocational and technical programs and training in lieu of traditional courses.
3. A review the impact of the federal regulations and judicial interpretations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as that act pertains to education and its various component parts in the public sector in Texas. This study should assess the fiscal and policy ramifications of this legislation and make recommendations as to necessary implementing legislation therefor.
4. A study of the administration of large school districts. This study should include a review of the advisability of and methodology of reorganization of large school districts; recommendations on how best to deal legislatively with problems associated with these districts, such as teacher morale, increased violence, access to supervisory personnel, discipline problems, accountability to taxpayers and parents, and increasingly lower test and achievement scores.
5. A study of the effects and ramifications of a "quarter system" on the curriculum and effectiveness of public schools.
Supporting documents
Committee: House Public Education
Title: Cost and Student Data Based on G.O.E.R. Property Values
Library Catalog Title: Minutes
Library Call Number: L1801.9 ED83H 65
Session: 65th R.S. (1977)
Online version: View document [549 pages]

* This represents an abstract of the report contents. Charge text is incomplete or unavailable.

Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.