Texas Association of School Boards Legislative Update - HB 5 Graduation Requirement, Assessment Overhaul

TASB Legislative Update

"Both the House and Senate adopted the conference committee report for HB 5 (Aycock/Patrick, Dan) over the weekend, sending the bill to the governor. HB 5 would, among other things:

• Reduce end-of-course exams from 15 to 5: Algebra I, U.S. history, biology, English I and English II (reading and writing would be combined into one exam for both English I and II).
• Replace the current minimum, recommended and distinguished graduation plans with a foundation graduation plan consisting of four English credits; three science, social studies and math credits; two foreign language/computer programming credits; one fine arts credit; one physical education credit; and five elective credits.
• Create a distinguished achievement and endorsement graduation plans, including endorsements in STEM, business & industry, public services, multi-disciplinary studies, and arts & humanities.
• Require  four science credits and algebra II for automatic state college admissions under the top 10 percent rule and state financial aid, and allow all students to be eligible to apply for Texas colleges.
• Allow districts to administer state-developed Algebra II and English III exams for diagnostic purposes.
• Establish an A through F accountability rating system for school districts beginning with the 2016-17 school year,while campuses will remain under the existing exemplary, recognized, acceptable and unacceptable system.
• Prohibit schools from pulling students out of class for more than 10 percent of class time for test preparation or remediation without parental consent.
• Require the SBOE to adopt at least six advanced CTE courses, including courses in personal financial literacy and statistics, that satisfy the fourth credit in math.
• Require all students entering grade 9 to select an endorsement, allow students to change endorsements at any time, and allow students to opt into the foundation plan with parental consent after grade 10.
• Prohibits schools from administering more than two benchmark tests per student per subject, not to include college readiness exams such as the SAT or ACT.
• Require TEA to minimize the effect test administration has on a campus and student instruction."

Freedom Is Not Free - Memorial Day

Freedom Is Not Free

- Kelly Strong

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
and then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
He'd stand out in any crowd.
I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil?
How many mothers' tears?
How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of TAPS one night,
When everything was still
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That TAPS had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.
I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

House Bill 5 passed unanimously in Texas Senate and House - brings needed flexibility to high school curricula

House Bill 5

From Texas Tribune - Click Here

"HB 5, from House Public Education Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, passed both chambers unanimously ...", with members of both the House and Senate who had previously opposed the bills explaining why they now supported them. 

State Rep. Mark Strama, the Austin Democrat who was one of two no votes on the bill as it initially passed the House, said he now supports it because it brings needed flexibility to high school curricula while maintaining high standards. But he said the bill’s reduction of state standardized exams would make it more difficult to gauge the progress of low-income and minority students and may fail to address what lawmakers are trying to correct with student assessments.

“We defined the problem with testing in Texas as the number of tests,” he said, “but really it was because of the stakes we had attached to those tests that created a culture of testing rather than learning.”

HB 5

· High school students would take a foundation curriculum of four English credits; three science, social studies and math credits; two foreign language credits; one fine art and one P.E. credit; and five elective credits. They would add a fourth science and math credit when they select one of five diploma "endorsements" in areas including science and technology, business and industry, and the humanities.

· To qualify for automatic college admissions under the top 10 percent rule and state financial aid, students must take four science credits and algebra II must be among their four math credits. 

· The state will require five standardized tests in English I, English II, algebra I, biology and U.S. history. School districts will have the option of offering diagnostic exams in algebra II and English III that will not count toward their accountability rating.

· Districts will get an A through F rating; campuses will remain under the existing exemplary, recognized, acceptable and unacceptable labels."

Save Texas Schools opposes forced state takeover of Texas public schools under Senate Bill 1718

From Save Texas Schools

"The concepts in SB 1718 have been tried in Louisiana and have failed miserably. Their "Recovery School District" has been reorganized three times in 10 years, and is ranked the lowest-performing school district in the state."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dear Save Texas Schools Supporter,

We've written about SB 1718, which would take schools away from communities if they miss state standards for as few as two years. These schools would come under state control and in most cases, would be transitioned to outside charter entities.

Though this bill, as written, would be limited to 10 schools in the first two years, it would ultimately affect hundreds of Texas schools.

Supporters of SB 1718, including Texans for Education Reform (TER) are falsely saying that nothing is done for "failing" schools. This is just not true. Our current system, while not perfect, puts in action a set of agresssive school improvement strategies that, in the vast majority of cases, gets struggling schools back on track within 2-3 years.

While dead a few days ago, SB 1718 may be added into two larger bills that are being considered by conference committees right now: SB 2 (charter school bill) and HB 5 (testing and accountability bill).

We need you to write and call the members of both conference committees TODAY and let them know your opposition to forced state takeover of schools under SB 1718.

**********************************************************************
Here is some suggested language:

Dear ______________________,

I am writing in opposition to the creation of the Texas Achievement District under SB 1718. It is my understanding that the legislation may be combined with other bills, including SB2 or HB 5. 

I want to see great schools for ALL kids, and believe that the current system of strong interventions for struggling schools works for the vast majority of schools. 

I am against SB 1718 for these reasons:

1. It forces conversion of local schools into charters with no input from local school boards or communities. 

2. The state is not equipped to take over local schools.

3. Conversion to charters, where the schools have to take all children from a community, have a poor record nationwide.

4. Our current system works for most schools. with schools turning around after 1-3 years. If a school still struggles after 5-6 years of interventions, we allow the state to take action through closure or alternative management.

5. Our testing system is currently under repair. Let's fix that system first before we use it to close schools.

6. Most kids are not trapped in "failing" schools. Under NCLB, any school that has missed AYP requirements for two consecutive years MUST provide transfers and transportation to nearby schools that are meeting standards. Kids do have choices already.

The concepts in SB 1718 have been tried in Louisiana and have failed miserably. Their "Recovery School District" has been reorganized three times in 10 years, and is ranked the lowest-performing school district in the state.

Please keep SB 1718 out of other important legislation that needs to be passed in the closing days of the session.

Sincerely,

______________________

Here is the contact information for conference committee members:

(512) 463-0111

dan.patrick@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0107

robert.duncan@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0128

kel.seliger@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0131

leticia.vandeputte@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0126

tommy.williams@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0104

jimmie.aycock@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0684

joe.deshotel@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0662

larry.gonzales@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0670

dan.huberty@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0520

eddie.rodriguez@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0674

SB 2 (Charters)

jimmie.aycock@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0684

mike.villarreal@House.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0532

marsha.farney@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0309

john.otto@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0570

patricia.harless@house.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0496

dan.patrick@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0107

donna.campbell@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0125

eddie.lucio@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0127

royce.west@senate.state.tx.us

 (512) 463-0123

larry.taylor@senate.state.tx.us

(512) 463-0111"

School Board Advocacy Network urges legislators to reduce high-stakes testing in grades 3-8 - pass HB 2836

Reduce Emphasis on High-Stakes Testing in Grades 3-8
 

"With just over 24 hours left for legislators to pass bills, those not heard before midnight on Sunday will die. House Bill 2836 by Rep. Bennett Ratliff (R-Coppell) is currently in conference committee and will go before the full Senate and House for passage on Sunday.

House Bill 2836 focuses solely on testing in grades 3-8. Call your legislator and urge them to support the bill with the following provisions:

• Reduce the length of tests to 120 minutes in grades 3-5, 180 minutes in grades 5-8,with no time limit for struggling learners;
• Refine tests to include readiness standards only for accountability purposes, supporting standards for diagnostic purposes only;
• Include revisions for STARR-Alt tests to be provided by the State and not teachers; and
• Require the length, scope and assessment of TEKS be studied.

Contact Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and the following conference committee members to urge their support for HB 2836."

Senate Conferees:

Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), 512-463-0107

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

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

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

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

House:

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

Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Houston), 512-463-0554

Rep. John Kuempel (R-Seguin), 512-463-0602

Rep. Marsha Farney (R-Georgetown), 512-463-0309"

Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles receives Texas Supertintendent Certification

Superintendent Mike Miles has completed requirements for his Texas Superintendent Certification.

A copy of the Texas Educator Certificate is displayed below.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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"

Adelle Turner Elementary students getting healthy and fit for careers

Adelle Turner Career day

Think Healthy! Think Fit! Think Careers! was the theme for Career Day at Adelle Turner Elementary School.  After a delicious program in which students showed parents and guests the right foods to eat and the talents and skills that keep their minds, bodies and spirits fit, eager first thru fifth graders met representatives from 20 career categories. 

Robert Crawford and T'Korian Mosley were Masters of Ceremony.  Semajae Modkins joined them to guide us through a morning of learning.

The program included music by Ms. Parker's very young singers and the award winning selections by students in the Turner-Weiss Orchestra, directed by Ms. Rosas.

Talking carrots, broccoli stalks, apples and other ripened fruits and vegetables  were the voices of students from Ms.Owens Health and Nutrition crop.

Mr. Lindsay's First Place Adelle Turner Step Team skillfully moved all across the stage.

 

Special Guests from L. A. Fitness led students through a robust work-out. They were followed by Chef Cassondra who talked about the "Three Real Food Groups: Go, Slow and Whoa.

After the general assembly, First, Second and Third graders toured First Responder and other vehicles from careers which use wheels. 

Fourth and Fifth grade students heard from a round robin of career representatives who visited their classes. 

From the greeters and escorts to classroom participants, students were well-prepared with outstanding service, comments and questions. 


 
Thanks to Adelle Turner Elementary teachers and staff for your service.

Kudos to Counselor Kimberly Washington and team for coordinating Career Day activities.

Much appreciation to Principal Michael Nickson, campus leader.

A Big THANKS to all Career Presenters for sharing your time with our students.

The Adelle Turner Elementary School motto states, we are "Working Together for Success."