School Board Advocacy Network urges passage of Texas House Bill 5 without additional admendments

"House and Senate conferees are currently considering House Bill 5, which would reduce the number of end-of-course exams taken by high school students and provide multiple pathways to graduation.

"There is a possibility that HB 5 will be amended to include statewide school district legislation that failed in the House and was removed from another bill earlier this week.

Please contact the members of the HB 5 conference committee NOW and ask that the bill be kept "clean" of any additional legislation, especially Achievement School District legislation that would permit takeover of neighborhood schools by a statewide school district.

Urge conferees to:

• NOT amend HB 5 with other bills that have failed to pass.
• Keep the number of end-of-course exams at five tests.

Conference Committee Members (click on a name to send an e-mail)

House:

Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock (R-Killeen), 512-463-0684

Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Houston), 512-463-0520

Rep. Joe Deshotel (D-Beaumont), 512-463-0662

Rep. Larry Gonzales (R-Round Rock), 512-463-0670

Rep. Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin), 512-463-0674

Senate:

Chairman Dan Patrick (R-Houston), 512-463-0107

Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock), 512-463-0128

Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), 512-463-0131

Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio), 512-463-0126

Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), 512-463-0104"

School Board Advocacy Network supports testing reform in grades 3-8

School Board Advocacy Network Action Alert

 

Please call the lieutenant governor’s office and urge him to refer HB 2836 by Rep. Bennett Ratliff (R-Coppell) to the Senate Education Committee and have the bill set for a hearing as soon as possible.

HB 2836 would:

• improve the accountability system by reigning in the amount, scope and time of state-mandated testing in grades 3 through 8; 
• reduce state required testing from 17 to 15 tests in grades 3 through 8; 
• ensure that students can thoroughly learn the TEKS readiness standards; and
• reduce the amount of time students spend on each state test to 120 minutes in grades 3 through 5 and 180 minutes in grades 6 through 8.

Contact Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and urge him to refer HB 2836 to the Senate Educaation Committee and help reduce the high-stakes nature of state assessments in grades 3 through 8.