Legislative update from Dr. Orr

May 10, 2013

As the countdown to the end of the Legislative session continues, there are three bills that we are closely watching.

High Performance Schools Consortium - HB 2824

The first is House Bill 2824, which relates to the Texas High Performance Schools Consortium, of which Highland Park ISD is a member. The consortium is made up of 23 school districts that were selected in September of 2012 by the Texas Education Agency Commissioner. It was created two years ago by Senate Bill 1557, which was authored by Sen. John Carona.

The consortium's mission is to develop innovative next-generation learning standards, assessment, and accountability systems. Selection was based on districts' performance ratings, national, statewide or regional recognition for excellence in academic performance, and an extensive application process.

HB 2824 was filed by our local State Rep. Dan Branch, along with Rep. Bennett Ratliff, who represents District 115, which includes Coppell, another consortium member. Three other House members are also sponsoring the bill.

HB 2824 would give the consortium districts the flexibility to reduce the number of standardized state tests (STAAR) over the next two school years, pending a federal waiver. Standardized state testing would not be eliminated, but the bill proposes fewer STAAR tests for grades 3-8 and would allow college and career readiness to be assessed using national college preparatory assessments in grades 8, 10, 11 and 12.

In addition, HB 2824 would allow consortium districts to teach for depth over breadth and develop community-based accountability systems. The bill was approved by the House and has been referred to the Senate.

It is the hope of HPISD and other consortium districts that the bill will become law, allowing for a reduced emphasis on excessive and expensive standardized testing and leaving room for more meaningful and innovative instruction and assessment. It is our belief that our first priority must be serving our local community, not a statewide system. To that end, we are committed to developing a local accountability system that we believe will allow us to pursue educational goals that best fit our students' and community's needs. Again, a federal waiver may be necessary to make these changes to the accountability system.

Letters of support for HB 2824 are arriving from local chambers of commerce, including the Dallas Regional Chamber and Fort Worth. The Texas Public Policy Foundation, Texas Conservative Coalition, and House Republican Caucus have all signed on in support. We appreciate their endorsements, which recognize that the consortium's commitment to strengthen Texas' public education system is an investment in the future.

Graduation and testing requirements - HB 5

This is the education bill that has received the most attention this session because it carries significant implications for every public school student in Texas. The House and Senate have passed their own versions of HB 5. Each reduces the number of end-of-course (STAAR) exams from 15 to five. The bills also would allow students to choose a graduation path that best suits their skills and interests (distinguished plan, foundation plan, business and industry, arts and humanities, or science and tech).

We certainly support a reduction in standardized tests for all of Texas' 5 million-plus school children. Excessive testing has taken time and funding away from quality instruction, and the Legislature appears to be recognizing this with the changes proposed in HB 5, along with other bills seeking to reverse the dramatic increase in state-mandated exams enacted during the last session.

The two versions of HB 5 are now in conference committee.

Funding - SB1

Meanwhile, on the funding side, Senate Bill 1 is the general appropriations bill. In its current state, it would restore some of the funding that was cut during the last legislative session. The bill has been passed by both houses and is now in conference committee. However, there are other bills that affect school district funding and require districts to increase contributions to the teacher retirement system and increase payroll taxes, which would significantly affect the bottom line for HPISD and other school districts. For now, we are waiting to see which bills pass the houses and come up for a general vote, but the outlook is basically neutral.

It is also worth noting that most districts are also anticipating a significant increase in healthcare coverage costs and are basing budget projections on that expectation.