January-February 2024 Committee on School Initiatives
THURSDAY
February 1, 2024
9:00 a.m.
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES – Room 1-111
Members: Will Hickman, chair; LJ Francis, vice chair; Rebecca Bell-Metereau; Staci Childs; and Julie Pickren. 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 public testimony at State Board of Education committee meetings and general board meetings are provided in SBOE Operating Rules.
1. Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 157, Hearings and Appeals, Subchapter D, Independent Hearing Examiners, §157.41, Certification Criteria for Independent Hearing Examiners
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
This item presents for first reading and filing authorization a proposed amendment to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 157, Hearings and Appeals, Subchapter D, Independent Hearing Examiners, §157.41, Certification Criteria for Independent Hearing Examiners. The proposed amendment would reduce the length of time an attorney must be licensed and engaged in full-time practice to be eligible to serve as an independent hearing examiner and expand the experience requirements to include family law, criminal law, and personal injury law. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §21.252(a).
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION
2. Open-Enrollment Charter School Generation 29 Application Updates
This item provides an opportunity for the committee to receive updates regarding the Generation 29 Open-Enrollment Charter Application cycle. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §12.101.
COMMITTEE – DISCUSSION
SBOE – NO ACTION
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 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 100, Charters, Subchapter A, Open-Enrollment Charter Schools, and Subchapter B, Home-Rule School District Charters. Subchapter A establishes a provision for a State Board of Education member to be designated as the liaison for charter selection for charters proposed under Texas Education Code (TEC) Chapter 12, Subchapter D, charter selection procedures for charters granted under the TEC, Chapter 12, Subchapter D, and provisions for a no-contact requirement. Subchapter B sets forth provisions for adverse action on a home-rule school district charter. The statutory authority for the rule review is the Texas Government Code (TGC), §2001.039. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 100, Subchapter A, is the TEC, §12.101. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 100, Subchapter B, is TEC, §§7.102(c)(8), 12.028, 12.101(b), and 12.101(b-0).
COMMITTEE – DISCUSSION
SBOE – NO ACTION
4. Approval of Revisions to Required School Safety Training for School District Trustees
This item provides an opportunity for the board to approve revisions to the school safety training curriculum for school district trustees. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.159(b-1).
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
5. Recommendation for One Reappointment to the Boys Ranch Independent School District Board of Trustees
This item provides an opportunity for the board to consider one reappointment to the board of trustees of Boys Ranch Independent School District (ISD). The reappointment is necessary because the trustee’s term of office is expiring. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
This item provides an opportunity for the board to consider two reappointments to the board of trustees of Fort Sam Houston Independent School District (ISD). The reappointments are necessary because the trustees’ terms of office have expired. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
7. Recommendation for One Appointment to the Lackland Independent School District Board of Trustees
This item provides an opportunity for the board to consider one appointment to the board of trustees of Lackland Independent School District (ISD). The appointment is necessary because one trustee has retired. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
8. 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
(First Reading and Filing Authorization)
This item presents for first reading and filing authorization a proposed amendment to 19 Texas Administrative Code (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 reflect changes made by House Bill (HB) 4210, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, to the State Board of Education's (SBOE's) process for appointing trustees for military reservation districts. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.352, as amended by HB 4210, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – CONSENT
9. Discussion of Ongoing State Board for Educator Certification Activities
This item provides an opportunity for the committee to receive updates on current and upcoming State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) activities and proposed SBEC rules and amendments. Statutory authority is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.031, 21.035, 21.041, and 21.042.
COMMITTEE – DISCUSSION
SBOE – NO ACTION
This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to review the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule actions that would propose amendments to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 232, General Certification Provisions, Subchapter A, Certificate Renewal and Continuing Professional Education Requirements, §232.7, Requirements for Certificate Renewal, and §232.11, Number and Content of Required Continuing Professional Education Hours. The proposed amendments would provide minor technical edits to clarify the existing hardship exemption processes established in rule, would implement the statutory requirements of House Bill (HB) 2929, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, and would update the continuing professional education (CPE) training requirements to remove the limit on certain professional development hours that can be completed by classroom teachers and school counselors every five years for the purposes of standard certificate renewal. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 232, Subchapter A, §232.7 is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.003(a); 21.0031(f); 21.031; 21.041(b)(1)–(4) and (7)–(9); 21.054; 21.0541; and 21.0543; and Texas Occupations Code (TOC), §55.002 and §55.003. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 232, Subchapter A, §232.11, is the TEC, §§21.003(a); 21.0031(f); 21.031; 21.041(b)(1)–(4) and (7)–(9); 21.054; 21.054(d), as amended by HB 2929, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 21.054(d-2), as amended by HB 2929, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 21.054(f), as amended by HB 2929, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session; 2023; 21.0541; 21.0543; and 22.0831(f); and TOC, §55.002 and §55.003.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION
This item provides the State Board of Education (SBOE) an opportunity to review the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rule actions that would propose amendments to 19 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 234, Military Service Members, Military Spouses, and Military Veterans. The proposed revisions would implement Senate Bills (SBs) 422 and 544 and House Bill (HB) 621, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023. The proposed revisions would add military service members as being eligible to receive several of the provisions in place for military spouses; would add provisions to issue a three-year temporary certificate to eligible military veterans, peace officers, fire protection personnel, and emergency medical services personnel; and would also add provisions for the issuance of a one-year temporary certificate to certain instructors for the Community College of the Air Force. The statutory authority for 19 TAC Chapter 234 is the Texas Education Code (TEC), §§21.041(b)(2) and (4); 21.044(a); 21.0444, as added by HB 621, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 21.052(b-1), (c), (d-1), (f), and (i); 21.0525, as added by SB 544, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 21.054; and 21.458(a-2), as added by HB 621, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; and Texas Occupations Code (TOC), §§55.001; 55.002; 55.003; 55.004(a)-(c); 55.004(d), as amended by SB 422, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 55.0041, as amended by SB 422, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 55.005(a), as amended by SB 422, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023; 55.005(b); 55.006; 55.007; 55.008; 55.009; and 55.010.
COMMITTEE – ACTION
SBOE – ACTION