Mike Falick's Blog

Texas PTA Honors State Representative Dwayne Bohac

[So, as you know, I am way behind on updating my blog.  Among the many, many updates I have wanted to post for some time is this one.]

In April, I had the privilege to attend the Texas PTA's presentation to Spring Branch's own State Rep. Dwayne Bohac in which he was named to the Texas PTA's Statewide Legislative Honor Roll for his leadership on public education issues during the 81st Session.

The Texas Education Agency's Briefing Book Summarizes Education Related Bills Passed Last Spring During the 81st Legislative Session

Here are two resources that will help explain the hundreds of education bills that were passed last Spring by the Texas Legislature.

First, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released its Briefing Book that summarizes the education related bills passed during the 81st Legislative Session. 

For each education-related bill, the Briefing Book includes the following:

• summary
• change from current law
• action required for 2009-10 school year
• new programs created
• rulemaking authority
• applicability to charter schools
• information on creation of new reporting requirements

In addition, the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) has posted the second edition of the TASB 2009 Legislative Summary for the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature.

Important Information Concerning Changes to Spring Branch Graduation Requirements and Possible Schedule Changes

During the 81st Legislative Session completed June 1, 2009, the Legislature passed House Bill 3.  (See these prior posts here and here).  House Bill 3 made significant changes to the graduation requirements, and these changes are being implemented immediately.  Below is information from the Spring Branch website concerning potential schedule changes for students.  This information will be of particular importance to students in middle school taking high school level courses, and to all high school students. 

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Update on state’s new graduation requirements

On June 25, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced that the new graduation requirements approved in Texas House Bill 3 would become effective immediately, and impact all students beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. Typically, new graduation requirements take effect with an incoming freshman class.

The changes in House Bill 3 remove the requirements for ½ credit in Health, ½ credit in Physical Education, and 1 credit in Technology Applications, which would allow students to have more flexibility in taking elective courses. These changes were made only to the Recommended Student Graduation Plan and not for the Minimum or Distinguished (DAP) student graduation plans.

Despite these changes, school districts may make local school determinations about implementing rules affecting student schedules.

SBISD recognizes that House Bill 3 allows for more flexibility in course requirements. Students and parents, however, should be aware that the courses students have already signed up for this school year are likely to be the ones that they will take this year.

During the published schedule change window, SBISD campus counselors will post a list of Closed and/or Available courses on a daily basis. High school seniors will be given priority consideration in any schedule changes. Students should see their high school counselor for more information.

SBISD appreciates your flexibility and understanding as it works to implement the new House Bill 3 requirements. For the latest information on the House Bill 3 change in graduation requirements, please visit http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/HB3index.html

High school students and parents please note: The high school semester course Speech (Communications Applications) is still a required course on all three graduation plans as stated by the State Board of Education.

The Movie Posters of the 81st Legislative Session

For the past 12 years, after each legislative session, Mark Loeffler has posted his movie poster spoofs of the legislative session.  Fortunately, Mr. Loeffler continues this tradition today with the posting of his 81st Legislative Session posters which can be viewed here or by clicking on each of the posters below.

Countdown to the Important Deadlines for the 81st Legislative Session

DEADLINE FOR HOUSE TO CONSIDER SENATE BILLS ON SECOND READING:

DEADLINE FOR SENATE TO CONSIDER ALL BILLS ON SECOND AND THIRD READING:

Other important remaining deadlines are available here and below (click the image to enlarge).

Senate Bill 175 Gets Watered Down in the House: Minimal Reform Yields Top 10% Light

For the entering class of 2009 at the University of Texas, 81% were in the top 10% and 8.7% were out-of-state.  That left just over 10.3% for the entire rest of the students in the State of Texas who were not in the top 10% of their graduating classes.  And that is why the Top 10% rule mandating admission on the single criteria of class rank has been in such serious need of reform.

Senate Bill 175 by Senator Shapiro (summarized here initially, and here after the bill was heard by the Senate) would have gone a long way toward reforming this mandate to give the University of Texas, and Texas A&M, more discretion to determine its student enrollment criteria.

Today, Senate Bill 175 was taken up by the Texas House, and was significantly weakened.  Top 10% admission under the House amendments will be capped at 75% of the entering freshman class (as opposed to the 81% today).  An additional 10% of the class can be from out-of-state.  That leaves only 15% of the entering class that can be considered on criteria other than the Top 10%, including such criteria as proficiency in the arts, athletics, speech, debate, SAT/ACT scores, and any other criteria showing that a student is a well-rounded and college-ready.  That's 15% vs. 10.3% today.  And there are a lot of restrictions on that 15% with more being added through the additional amendments.  This minimal improvement means that the brain drain of students leaving Texas will continue.

Below is a summary from Paul Burka (Texas Monthly) on the House amendments.

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Deal struck on top 10%

posted by paulburka at 2:59 AM

Here are the elements of the deal:

* Automatic admissions capped at 75% of resident admits for UT only, starting with the entering class of 2011 and ending in 2015.

* UT may not use legacy status in its admissions process.

* Cap % of non-residents enrolled in the freshman class at 10%.

* Improve notification provisions to students and parents.

* New reforms do not apply if UT admits fewer students from high schools in the bottom quintile of college-going rates, based on a two-year rolling average.

* New reforms do not apply if a court order or board of regents prohibits the use of race or ethnicity in the admissions process.

* New reforms do not apply if UT-Austin fails to improve outreach and recruitment of undergrads from other general academic teaching institutions to their graduate programs.

The fifth item above — “Improve notification provisions to students and parents” — is crucial. One of the problems UT has in recruiting minority students is that school counselors spend far more time on discipline and dropouts than they spend on college advising. Many students in urban high schools never learn that they have an automatic place at the University of Texas if they finish in the top 10% of their class.

 

Austin's KXAN Reports on the Delays in the Texas House

Austin's KXAN has the following report on the delays that have occurred in the Texas House for the past 3 days.  See this prior post for additional information.

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"Chubbing" could cost taxpayers

Voter ID opponents running out the clock

Updated: Saturday, 23 May 2009, 6:39 PM CDT
Published : Saturday, 23 May 2009, 5:42 PM CDT

• Jenny Hoff

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The odds of a special session keep getting greater as House members run out the clock to avoid a vote on voter ID.

"This is the first time in the history of Texas almost that you've seen a local calendar go two days," said Rep. Mike Hamilton, R-Mauriceville.

The House hasn't passed a major bill since Wednesday and spent a rainy Saturday afternoon debating bills that usually go uncontested. House Democrats are spending 9 1/2 minutes questioning the author of each local bill, the maximum amount of time allotted, in order to burn time and get Republicans ready for a deal on voter ID.

"It needs to be stopped legislatively, so we are using the tools we have in our toolbox to fight it," said Rep. Lon Burnam, Fort Worth.

The Democratic caucus has said they will vote to suspend rules and take up major bills, as long as voter ID isn't one of them. The controversial bill that requires voters bring photo identification to the polls is next up on the House calendar. "We are not going to change the calendar," said the Chair of the Calendars committee, Rep. Brian McCall, R-Plano. McCall said he was shocked by the chubbing (the House's version of a filibuster) since he spent all session working with Democrats to get their bills to the floor for debate. "I'm frustrated," he said. "We're all frustrated."

Since the deadline for the House to pass any more state bills is Tuesday at midnight, the two sides could reach a compromise. However, some Republicans said they won't relent on seeing voter ID make it to the floor for a vote.

"My people sent me here to work, " said Rep. Rick Hardcastle, R-Vernon. "If some people's idea of work is playing games, then my folks expect me to saddle up and play."

There are still major bills waiting in queue, like Texas Windstorm Insurance, one of the Governor's emergency items. If it dies because the clock runs out, then a special session is likely. The estimated cost of a special session is $60,000 per day and each one can last up to 30 days.

Opponents of voter ID said it's worth it. "I'm not willing to kill people for defending the right to vote, but I'm more than willing to kill lots of bills defending the right to vote," said Burnam.

Here's a List of the Senate Bills that will Likely Die as a Result of the Current Delay in the Texas House

Today's newspapers across the State are reporting on the delay tactics being employed on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives (see here, here, here, here, and here).  When the Democrats began the four-corner stall two days ago, the House would otherwise have been in the position of concluding debate on SB 175, the Top 10% College Admission bill.  However, as a result of the delay, that bill, and all of the others listed below, remain pending and likely never to be reached.

Senate bills not passed on second reading by midnight Tuesday are dead.  Looks like most of these bills will fall into that category:

SB 175 by Shapiro Limit on Top Ten Percent automatic admissions policy
SJR 11 by West Allowing the governor to issue pardon after successful deferred adjudication
SB 1850 by Shapleigh Creation of the home- and community-based services workforce council
SB 1111 by Duncan Liability of and legal fees for a court-appointed trustee of certain facilities
SB 1864 by Ellis Post-conviction forensic DNA analysis
SB 1173 by Seliger Delivery, modification, and withdrawal of a warrant of execution
SB 1106 by Van de Putte Expediting payment of claims to pharmacies and pharmacists
SB 1501 by West (D) Grants to non-profits that partner with schools for agricultural projects
SB 1976 by Whitmire Allowing habeas corpus writs for certain types of new scientific evidence
SB 1773 by Fraser Applying limited liability for corporations to limited liability companies
SB 2105 by Uresti Limiting the liability of space flight entities to space flight participants
SB 1954 by Jackson Allowing a temporary faculty license for chiropractic faculty
SB 1815 by Van de Putte Immunity for doctors’ exams requested TDI workers’ comp division

A Call to Action on the School Accountability Bills (HB3/SB3)

As you can see from the clock above, the current Legislative Session is drawing to a close.  A Conference Committee has been appointed to discuss the differences between the House and Senate versions of the school accountability bills, House Bill 3 and Senate Bill 3.  (Click here,and here for prior posts on these bills).

Spring Branch's Superintendent, Dr. Duncan Klussmann, has issued the letter below (click the images to enlarge or click here to download the letter).  Please take the time to read Dr. Klussmann's letter, and please contact the members of the Conference Committee to express any concerns you might have with the Bills.

Meeting Notice for May 18, 2009 House Public Education Committee

Here is the notice for tomorrow's House Public Education Committee meeting (click on the image to go to the House Public Education Committee meeting notice with links to each bill).