HB 3646 that passed during the 2009 legislative session increased the Basic Allotment to $4,746.00 per student—a 48% increase. Previously it has been $3,218.00. 

 

Thus, the weighted funding for special programs (special education, gifted & talented, bilingual, and career & technical) would increase based on their percentage formulas. However, it was not the intent of this legislature to increase the funding for special programs. Rather, they wanted this Basic Allotment increase to go to “indirect costs” such as general education programs, operations, maintenance, etc. Consequently the legislature mandated the State Board of Education (SBOE) to adopt a higher indirect cost allowance (maximum of 45 percent) for the special programs that would maintain funding to special programs at the 2008-09 level and help school districts meet other costs.

 

Back in 2003 when the CTE weighted funding was reduced from .37 to .35, the TCTC lobbyists were able to get the indirect cost allowance reduced from 15 percent to 10 percent for CTE. Thus, 90 percent of the state weighted .35 funding had to be spent on instruction. Prior to the passage of this change in the Appropriations Bill, only 85 percent of the state weight for CTE went into instruction. By increasing the funding percentage to instruction, the 2 percent lost in the weight was equalized.

 

The TEA, along with many educational advocates, are recommending that the funding for special programs indirect costs be increased to 40 percent. TCTC presented testimony at the September18th SBOE meeting asking for an 80% - 20% split or at least recognize the hold harmless rule of maintaining the 2008-09 levels of funds to CTE programs.

 

At the September hearing, SBOE Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund, chaired by David Bradley (Beaumont) recommended a tentative 65% - 35% to take before the full board the following day. At that time the TEA Commissioner had recommended a 55% - 45% funding split for all four special programs.

 

The Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund held a discussion only meeting on October 16^th where they discussed  that special education, bilingual education, gifted & talented to be set at a 43% indirect cost allowance and CTE be set at a 40% indirect cost (because CTE is a more expensive program to run). No vote was taken at this non-voting discussion only meeting.

 

Written public comments are being taken now through November 16^th. Submit your written testimony to: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/homesboeprop/html

The SBOE Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund will meet Tuesday, Nov. 17^th, beginning at 9:00 a.m., Room 1.104 for seconding reading. Committee Chair David Bradley (Beaumont) announced that they will limit oral public testimony on this issue to 30; each person will be limited to 3 minutes. Final vote will be taken by the Full SBOE on Friday, Nov. 20^th, Room 1-104. Both meetings will be in the Travis Building, 17^th & Congress, Austin. 

 

Meet with your funding personnel and/or administration to determine if your school district’s CTE programs can operate on 60 percent of the CTE weighted funding – basically maintaining 2008-09 levels. 

 

Your district must consider the new changes in school finance funding, the increase in the basic allotment, changes in how tax rates affect funding, the teacher pay raises, etc., to determine what will serve all students in the district best.  By setting the indirect cost allowances at a higher percentage, school district will have more flexibility in how funds are spent. Some school districts spend more than required on special education programs. Other districts don’t have the resources to apply more funding into special programs. CTE programs initially received a .45 percent in weighted funding, reduced in the late 1980’s to .37 percent, and then reduced again in 2003 to .35 percent. Tradition shows that when CTE funding has been reduced, we never get it back. 

 

 

Click links below for more information:

I. Statutory Citations 

II. Text of Proposed Amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 105, Foundation School Program, Subchapter B, Use of State Funds, §105.11, Maximum Allowable Indirect Cost 
III. Indirect Percentage Calculation Comparison Provided During the October 16, 2009, Meeting of the Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund  

 

 

The Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund has 13 agenda items scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17, 9:00am in Room 1.104 at the Travis Building, 17^th & Congress in Austin. Currently the Indirect Cost Allowances is scheduled as their first agenda item, but that could change. If the Committee on School Finance/Permanent School Fund does not complete its agenda Tuesday, it will resume its meeting in Room 1-100 upon adjournment of the Committee of the Full Board on Wednesday and/or Thursday.

This item presents for second reading and final adoption proposed amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum. The proposed amendment would make the rule related to graduation requirements consistent with recent legislation passed by the 81st Texas Legislature. No additional changes are recommended since approved for first reading. Statutory authority for this action is Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The 81st Texas Legislature, 2009, passed House Bill (HB) 3, amending the TEC, §28.025, to increase flexibility in graduation requirements for students. HB 3 removes SBOE authority to designate a specific course or a specific number of credits in the enrichment curriculum as requirements for the Recommended High School Program, effective immediately. HB 3 also added a new fine arts requirement for the Minimum High School Program.

The proposed amendment to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter A, Required Curriculum, §74.3, Description of a Required Secondary Curriculum, would add language in SBOE rule to address the graduation requirements for the Minimum and Recommended High School Programs mandated by HB 3.

This item presents for second reading and final adoption proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter C, Other Provisions. The proposed revisions would amend an existing rule related to health education and add a new rule related to physical education consistent with recent legislation passed by the 81st Texas Legislature. No additional changes are recommended since approved for first reading. Statutory authority for this action is Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002(d), (p), (p-2), (p-3), (p-4), and (r).

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The 81st Texas Legislature, 2009, passed House Bill (HB) 3076, Senate Bill (SB) 1219, and SB 1344, each of which are related to health education and SB 891, which is related to physical education.

Health Education
HB 2176, passed by the 80th Texas Legislature, 2007, added the TEC, §28.002(p), which required the SBOE, in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, to develop a parenting and paternity awareness (p.a.p.a.) program that school districts must use in the high school health curriculum. This program must address parenting skills and responsibilities, including child support and other legal rights, and relationship skills, including money management, communication skills, and marriage preparation. In high schools that do not have a family violence prevention program, skills relating to the prevention of family violence must be included. The SBOE adopted 19 TAC §74.35, Additional Requirements for High School Health Classes, to outline school district and open-enrollment charter school requirements for implementation of this program. The materials for the p.a.p.a. program were approved by the SBOE at the January 2008 meeting. These materials are provided to school districts at no charge.

HB 3076 and SB 1219, passed by the 81st Texas Legislature, 2009, amend the TEC, §28.002(p), to allow a teacher to modify the suggested sequence and pace of the p.a.p.a. program. HB 3076 also amended the TEC, §28.002(p), to allow the p.a.p.a. program to be used in middle and junior high schools. HB 3076 added the TEC, §28.002(p-4), which specifies that a student under 14 years of age may not participate in the p.a.p.a. program without parental consent. HB 3076 also added the TEC, §28.002(p-2), which allows school districts to develop or adopt research-based programs to be used in conjunction with the p.a.p.a. program and the TEC, §28.002(p-3), which requires agency evaluation and distribution of information relating to programs and materials.

SB 1344, passed by the 81st Texas Legislature, 2009, amends the TEC, §28.002, by adding subsection (r). This legislation requires the SBOE to adopt Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) that address binge drinking and alcohol poisoning.

The proposed amendment to 19 TAC §74.35, Additional Requirements for High School Health Classes, would reorganize the rule to specify modified requirements for the p.a.p.a. program and to add provisions relating to alcohol awareness in accordance with HB 3076, SB 1219, and SB 1344.

Physical Education
SB 891, passed by the 81st Texas Legislature, 2009, amends the TEC, §28.002, by adding subsection (d) and amending subsection (l). The bill requires the SBOE, in identifying TEKS, to ensure that the curriculum emphasizes lifetime physical activity; is consistent with national physical education standards; requires that, on a weekly basis, at least 50% of the physical education class be used for actual student physical activity; offers students an opportunity to choose among many types of physical activity; meets the needs of students of all physical ability levels; takes into account the effect that gender and cultural differences might have on student interest in physical activity; teaches self-management and movement skills, cooperation, fair play, and responsible participation in physical activity; promotes student participation in physical activity outside of school; and allows physical education classes to be an enjoyable experience for students. In addition, SB 891 added the TEC, §25.114, addressing a student-to-teacher ratio for physical education classes and student safety.

The proposed new 19 TAC §74.37, Public School Physical Education Curriculum, would identify in rule the essential knowledge and skills of physical education in accordance with SB 891.

Revisions to the TEKS for health and physical education are scheduled to be adopted by the SBOE in 2013. The proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter C, Other Provisions, would put the requirements into rule as part of the required curriculum until the TEKS for health and physical education are revised.

No additional changes are recommended since approved for first reading.

This item presents for first reading and filing authorization proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter E, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2004-2005, and Subchapter F, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2007-2008. The proposed amendments would add additional courses for the fourth mathematics and science credit; and amend requirements for the minimum and advanced high school programs to align with the Recommended High School Program including adjustments to requirements for physical education credit and substitutions, health, and technology applications. Statutory authority for this action is Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: The amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter F, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2007-2008, adopted by the SBOE in November 2006, included changes to reflect the four years of mathematics and science graduation requirements of House Bill (HB) 1, 79th Texas Legislature, Third Called Session, 2006. These changes only applied to the Recommended High School and Distinguished Achievement Programs found in 19 TAC §74.63 and 19 TAC §74.64. The amendment to 19 TAC §74.61, adopted by the SBOE in November 2007, established in rule a grandfather clause for students who took Integrated Physics and Chemistry (IPC) in Grade 8 during the 2006-2007 school year that would allow IPC to count as one of the four years of science for students who took IPC in 2006-2007 prior to entering Grade 9 in 2007-2008. The board discussed the need to increase flexibility for students who graduate under the Recommended or Distinguished Achievement Program and who have interest in pursuing fine arts, career and technical education (CTE), or other elective programs.

The 80th Texas Legislature, 2007, passed HB 3485, adding the TEC, §28.0022, requiring the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to establish a panel to review and recommend revisions to the CTE curriculum. HB 3485 further requires the SBOE to allow a student to comply with the curriculum requirements for a mathematics course taken after the successful completion of an Algebra II course or for a science course taken after the successful completion of a physics course by successfully completing an advanced career and technical course designated by the SBOE as containing substantively similar and rigorous academic content. A student may use this option for not more than two courses. New 19 TAC Chapter 130, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education, was approved for second reading and final adoption at the July 2009 meeting.

At the January 2009 meeting the SBOE was presented with options for awarding credit toward graduation for athletics that included: (1) allowing students to earn four credits toward graduation for athletics, but the final two credits would have to be earned for the extracurricular activity offered outside the regular school day; (2) expanding the number of physical education credits allowed toward graduation to four; (3) allowing districts to submit an innovative course application for the third and fourth credits of athletics; (4) establishing Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for athletics courses; and (5) maintaining the current two equivalency credits for athletics. Explanations and implications for each option were provided to the board during the January meeting. After some discussion the SBOE voted to postpone action until March 2009. At the March 2009 meeting the SBOE voted to approve Option 2: expand the number of physical education credits allowed toward graduation to four.

The 81st Texas Legislature, 2009, passed HB 3, amending the TEC, §28.025, to increase flexibility in graduation requirements for students. While HB 3 removes SBOE authority to designate a specific course or a specific number of credits in the enrichment curriculum as requirements for the Recommended High School Program, the SBOE retains authority in the foundation and enrichment curriculum for the Minimum High School Program and the Distinguished Achievement Program.

The proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapters E and F, would incorporate changes to high school graduation programs in light of new graduation requirements in the TEC. The proposed amendments would include direction provided by the board in September 2009 relating to credits, substitutions, and other adjustments, as follows.

The proposed amendments would remove the one-half credit health graduation requirement and the one credit technology applications requirement from all three graduation programs. Proposed amendments would decrease the physical education requirement by one-half credit and would eliminate the requirement that students take the Foundations of Personal Fitness course in all three graduation programs. Proposed amendments would also allow students to earn physical education credit for certain activities related to specific physical education courses rather than allowing substitutions for the general physical education graduation credit. Amendments would also limit the number of course substitutions allowed for certain activities to four.

The proposed amendments would allow three CTE courses to count for the fourth mathematics under the Recommended High School and Distinguished Achievement Programs and five CTE courses to count for the fourth science credit. Proposed amendments would allow the Professional Communication course to satisfy the speech graduation requirement and the Principles and Elements of Floral Design course to satisfy the fine arts graduation credit.

 

MATH
Mathematical Applications in Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (not 4^th year)
Statistics and Risk Management (4^th year)
Engineering Mathematics (4^th year)

SCIENCE
Advanced Animal Science (4^th year)
Advanced Plant and Soil Science (4^th year)
Food Science (4^th year)
Forensic Science (4^th year)
Advanced Biotechnology (4^th year)

Distinguished Achievement Plan
MATH
Statistics and Risk Management (4^th year)
Engineering Mathematics (4^th year)
SCIENCE
Advanced Animal Science (4^th year)
Advanced Plant and Soil Science (4^th year)
Food Science (4^th year)
Forensic Science (4^th year)
Advanced Biotechnology (4^th year)

 

Initially there were more CTE courses aligned for the 4^th year math or science. These courses were not forwarded to the SBOE. The good news is that legislation passed in the 81^st Legislative Session that allows more courses to be aligned for 4^th year math or science as well as other academic & enrichment courses.

The proposed amendments would remove the phase-out of IPC, allowing this course to continue to count as one of the four science credits on the Recommended High School Program.

Proposed amendments would also make technical edits to further clarify the graduation requirements.

 

10.. This agenda item is about the Social Studies TEKS.

 

11. Discussion of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter C, High School This item provides the opportunity for the committee to discuss proposed revisions to 19 TAC Chapter 110, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading, Subchapter C, High School, pertaining to English language arts electives. Statutory authority is Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: In February, April, and July 2009, committees were convened to review the high school English language arts electives TEKS. Initial drafts of the recommendations for revisions to the English language arts electives TEKS were posted on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website for informal feedback. During the September 2009 SBOE meeting, the board directed the TEA staff to instruct the speech TEKS review committee to attempt to align TEKS for additional speech courses to the Communication Applications TEKS.

The English language arts electives TEKS review committees met again in October 2009 to review feedback and complete recommendations for revisions to the English language arts electives TEKS. Recommendations from the review committees will be sent to SBOE members as a separate exhibit prior to the November meeting.