September 2019 Committee on School Initiatives Item 7
Discussion of Proposed Amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship
September 12, 2019
COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES: DISCUSSION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: NO ACTION
SUMMARY: This item provides an opportunity for the Committee on School Initiatives to discuss proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship. The proposed amendments would reflect changes made by House Bill (HB) 3 and HB 403, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, to the State Board of Education's (SBOE's) duty to provide training courses for independent school district trustees. The proposed amendments would also address the required number of nominees for trustee candidates for military reservation districts.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.159, as amended by HB 403, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019; TEC, §11.185 and §11.186, as added by HB 3, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019; and TEC, §11.352.
TEC, §11.159, as amended by HB 403, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, requires the SBOE to provide a training course for school board trustees, including one hour of training every two years on identifying and reporting potential victims of sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other maltreatment of children.
TEC, §11.185 and, §11.186, as added by HB 3, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, requires each district board of trustees to adopt proficiency plans and annual goals for early childhood literacy, mathematics proficiency, and college, career, and military readiness.
TEC, §11.352, grants the SBOE the authority to appoint a board of three or five trustees for each military reservation district.
The full text of statutory citations can be found in the statutory authority section of this agenda.
FUTURE ACTION EXPECTED: The proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship, will be presented for first reading and filing authorization at the November 2019 SBOE meeting.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND JUSTIFICATION: The TEC, §11.159, Member Training and Orientation, requires the SBOE to provide a training course for school board trustees. Section 61.1 addresses this statutory requirement. School board trustee training under current SBOE rule includes a local school district orientation session, a basic orientation to the TEC, an annual team-building session with the local school board and the superintendent, specified hours of continuing education based on identified needs, and training on evaluating student academic performance.
HB 3, 86th Texas Legislature, 2019, added TEC, §11.185 and §11.186, and requires each district board of trustees to adopt proficiency plans and annual goals for early childhood literacy; mathematics proficiency; and college, career, and military readiness. The annual goals should be for the subsequent five years to reach quantifiable goals. These plans are to be reviewed each year by the board of trustees and posted on the website of each district and campus.
TEC, §11.352, grants the SBOE the authority to appoint a board of three or five trustees for each military reservation district. Enlisted personnel and officers may be appointed to the school board, but a majority of the trustees must be civilians. The trustees are selected from a list of people provided by the commanding officer of the military reservation.
Staff Members Responsible:
Jeff Cottrill, Deputy Commissioner, Governance and Accountability
Drew Howard, Senior Director, Lone Star Governance
Jason Hewitt, Senior Director, Special Investigations, Monitors, and Conservators
Attachment: Text of 19 TAC Chapter 61, School Districts, Subchapter A, Board of Trustees Relationship