Legislative
Update
June 20, 2013
A.
Funding
·
Some
funding has been restored
·
Enrollment
growth has been funded
·
An
additional 3.4 billion of the 5.4 lost in 2011 has been restored
B.
IMA
·
$423,062,452
budgeted for each year of the next biennium for a total of $846,124,904
·
HB
5 was signed into law and allows districts to use their IMA funds prior to Sept
1st if vendor is okay with payment after Sept. 1st
·
Funds
must be first encumbered
·
June
30th is the estimated date that districts will receive word about
how much IMA funding they will receive
·
If
you still have IMA funding, it will roll over and will be added to the new
appropriations
·
The
new IMA funds will primarily be used for Proclamation 2014 (Math, Sci, Tech Apps)
·
Next
summer is primarily when a lot of the new adoptions/purchases will occur
·
Many
district will be saving a lot of their IMA money to purchase for the 2014-2015
school year
C.
House Bill 5
·
HB
5 was passed into law
·
It
deals with graduation plans and assessment plans
·
It
eliminated the 4x4 and created endorsement:
o
Business
and Industry
o
Arts
and Humanities
o
STEM
o
Public
Services
o
Multi-disciplinary
·
TCEA’s
Amendments:
o
Insure
“technology applications “and computer science can be included in endorsement
§ TEA will decide which courses will be used
o
Add
technology applications to definition of applied stem course definition
o
Include
technology applications in requirement for SBOE to create applied math courses
(from CTE or TA)
o
Add
“digital learning environment” to district assessment
o
Allows
students to take 2 courses in computer programming languages instead of 2
foreign language courses (however, most colleges still require 2 foreign
languages – counselors need to be aware of this)
·
Tech
Apps for Math Credit:
o
AP
Computer Science
o
Robotics
o
Discreet
Math (if passed by SBOE and allow Computer Science certified teachers to teach
it)
D.
Other Technology Related Bills
·
Tech
Apps Certification Bill
o
HB3573
(Aycock and Patrick) - Effective Immediately
§ Allows TA Certificate holders to
teach 2 CTE Courses
§ Principles of Art, audio/video
technology and communications
§ Principles of information technology
·
Technology
Applications Bill
o
HB
2201 – Effective 9/1/2013
§ Adds technology applications to list
SBOE can choose from when determining which courses can count as a fourth math
credit
·
Professional
Development Bill
o
HB642
– Effective 9/1/2013
§ Gives SBEC the ability to require up
to 25% of CPEs credit and the integration of technology y is included in the
list
·
Virtual
Learning/Broadband Bill
o
HB
1926 - Effective Immediately
§ Opens up the TxVSN to private
entities to be course providers
§ Districts have discretion on which
provider can offer their students courses
§ Districts can deny access (pay for)
·
If
districts offers a substantially similar course
·
If
a student wants to take more than 3 yearlong courses
§ Would set up system to allow out of
state schools to offer courses
§ You have to send something home
yearly regarding the options available to students for virtual learning
§ HB 1926 also requires TEA to conduct
study on school district’s broadband capabilities
·
Digital
Learning Bills
o
HCR
104 – Governor has signed
§ A non-binding resolution that
encourage school districts to adopt policies that promote the use of technology
and technological devices in classrooms
o
HB
2824 – Governor vetoed
§ Allows the High Performing Schools
Consortium to pilot education reform initiatives and digital learning is
included
E.
What’s Next?
·
Special
Session
o
So
far no education related issued if some are, then will respond if there is a
change to advance our legislative platform
·
Interim
o
Work
on implementation of passed legislations:
§ SBOE
§ TEA
§ Educate and inform on new rules, etc.
o
Begin
laying groundwork for next session:
§ Broadband
§ Computer Science
§ Funding
§ ETC.
F.
Certifications
·
Refer
to Proposed Certification document
·
SBEC
met on May 3rd to approve certification for Technology Application
courses
G.
Federal Items
·
Rep.
Miller’s Legislation (Not law yet)
o
Provide
funds for state competitive grants for pd and equipment
o
Provide
funds for federal competitive:
§ Individualized learning
§ Improve teacher and school leadership
§ Provide access for at-risk student
populations
·
Connect
Ed (President Obama)
o
Connect
99% of America’s students with broadband and high-speed wireless in schools and
libraries
o
Focus
some funds from the ESEA act for teacher training
o
Build
on private-sector innovation
o
Erate
will probably move always from phone service and go to broadband
o
Districts
should start moving to VOIP, if they haven’t already
o
There
will be a session at ISTE on the new Erate on Wednesday
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