THURSDAY
January 26, 2012
2:00 p.m.
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES - Room 1-111
Members: Ken Mercer, Chair; Charlie Garza, Vice Chair; Mavis B. Knight; Gail Lowe; and Michael Soto. A quorum of the State Board of Education may attend the committee meeting and discuss items on the committee agenda.
Public Testimony - Individual testimony will be taken at the time the related item comes up for committee discussion or action. The procedures for registering and taking public testimony at State Board of Education committee meetings and general board meetings are provided at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index4.aspx?id=2147497741.
1. Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.2, Nomination of Trustees for Military Reservation School Districts and Boys Ranch Independent School District
(Second Reading and Final Adoption)
This item presents for second reading and final adoption the proposed amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, §61.2, Nomination of Trustees for Military Reservation School Districts and Boys Ranch Independent School District. The proposed amendment would specify the term of office for board members appointed to all types of special-purpose school districts and clarify the process for filling a vacancy on a special-purpose school district board resulting from the disqualification or resignation of a board member. No additional changes are recommended since approved for first reading. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - ACTION
2. Recommendation for Appointments to the Randolph Field Independent School District Board of Trustees
This item provides an opportunity for board consideration of appointments to the board of trustees of the Randolph Field Independent School District. The appointments are necessary due to the vacancy of office for three board members. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352, and 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §61.2.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - CONSENT
3. Update of Employers for Education Excellence Award
This item provides the board an opportunity to update and modify the requirements for the Employers for Education Excellence Award. The program honors employers who implement a policy to encourage and support employees who actively participate in activities of schools. State statute established three levels of recognition 1) bronze, 2) silver, or 3) gold to be awarded to recipient(s)/business(es) recommended by the commissioner of education. The board honors the recipient(s) with a suitable certificate. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §7.113.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - CONSENT
4. Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 157, Hearings and Appeals, Subchapter A, General Provisions for Hearings Before the State Board of Education, and Subchapter D, Independent Hearing Examiners
(Second Reading and Final Adoption)
This item presents for second reading and final adoption proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 157, Hearings and Appeals, Subchapter A, General Provisions for Hearings Before the State Board of Education, and Subchapter D, Independent Hearing Examiners. The proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 157, Subchapters A and D, would prohibit parties to a contested case before the SBOE from communicating with board members during the pendency of the case, address technological advances, and standardize references to independent hearing examiners. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §21.252 and §31.151, and Texas Government Code, §2001.004.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - ACTION
5. Action on Authorized Generation 16 Charter – The Pro-Vision Academy
This item allows the State Board of Education (SBOE) to rescind its contingent authorization for a charter to be operated by the Pro Vision Educational Services, Inc., as the applicant has indicated that it will be unable to provide evidence from the Internal Revenue Service as required and reflected in the adopted minutes of the September 16, 2011 SBOE meeting. Statutory authority for this action is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.101.
COMMITTEE - ACTION
SBOE - ACTION
6. Review of 19 TAC Chapter 100, Charters, Subchapter A, Open-Enrollment Charter Schools, and Subchapter B, Home-Rule School District Charters
Texas Government Code, §2001.039, establishes a four-year rule review cycle for all state agency rules, including State Board of Education (SBOE) rules. This item presents the review of 19 TAC Chapter 100, Charters, Subchapter A, Open-Enrollment Charter Schools, and Subchapter B, Home-Rule School District Charters. Subchapter A establishes charter application and selection procedures and criteria for charters granted under the Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 12, Subchapters D and E; the procedure and content of the annual report on open-enrollment charter governance; and optional provisions for contracting and purchasing. Subchapter B sets forth provisions for adverse action on a home-rule school district charter. The statutory authority for the rule review is Texas Government Code, §2001.039. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 100, Subchapter A, is the TEC, §§7.102(c)(9), 12.101, 12.1053, 12.110, 12.111, 12.119, 12.152, and 12.154. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 100, Subchapter B, is the TEC, §7.102(c)(8) and (9) and §12.028.
COMMITTEE - DISCUSSION
SBOE - NO ACTION
7. Update on the Status of Charters Recently Awarded and Attendance at the Generation 17 Applicant Conferences
This item provides staff with the opportunity to brief the Committee on School Initiatives on the progress in clearing contingencies made by open-enrollment charters authorized in September 2011 and the charter authorized in November 2011 to be operated by The University of Texas at Tyler. In addition, staff will brief the board on attendance at the two Generation 17 applicant conferences and provide information on the applications submitted for the 2012-2014 Public Charter School Start-Up Grant.
COMMITTEE - DISCUSSION
SBOE - NO ACTION