HBA-CBW H.B. 3053 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3053
By: Rangel
Higher Education
4/8/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In Texas, some educational institutions do not work together to promote and
make accessible a quality education for every citizen.  In many instances,
students entering college take developmental courses because they are
unprepared for college level courses.  When the legislature created the
Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP), the intent was to begin discussions
and coordinate efforts between the higher education and public education
communities regarding the issue of  better preparing students at the
elementary and secondary levels to meet the challenges of a postsecondary
education.  After twelve years of TASP testing,  there is still a need to
increase the collaboration between both of these communities.  A more
aggressive campaign on  the importance of a college education in a
competitive job market could encourage more Texans to attend college.
Hence,  a collaborative effort between the state's education leaders could
help to solve this challenge. House Bill 3053 requires the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board to establish policies and strategies to assist
the educational community to achieve an effective and coordinated
educational system. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3053 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (board) to develop and periodically update a
set of policies and strategies to assist public and private entities and
public officials to achieve an effective and coordinated educational system
that: 

  _provides each person with reasonable educational opportunities at any
age to enable the person to achieve the person's full potential as a
productive citizen; 

  _provides education and training that is appropriate to the needs of this
state and its people, including employers; 

  _promotes the most efficient overall use of public and private resources
in providing educational services; and  

  _ensures to the extent practicable that all educational institutions work
together. 

The bill requires the board to include specific policies and strategies and
requires the board to coordinate or communicate with any relevant entity to
develop the policies and strategies, including the commissioner of
education and the Texas Education Agency, public and private institutions
of higher education and other postsecondary educational institutions, the
Texas Workforce Commission, the State Board for Educator Certification, and
school districts and organizations that conduct private school or
home-school support activities. 

 EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.