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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the study of public education performance. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 2, Education Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 9 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 9. CENTER FOR EDUCATION PERFORMANCE AND LEARNING |
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Sec. 9.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Board" means the Center for Education Performance |
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and Learning Board. |
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(2) "Center" means the Center for Education |
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Performance and Learning. |
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Sec. 9.002. CENTER FOR EDUCATION PERFORMANCE AND LEARNING. |
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(a) The Center for Education Performance and Learning is created |
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as an independent policy center. |
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(b) The center shall represent business, finance, public |
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policy, education, and other interests considered appropriate by |
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the center. |
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(c) In performing the duties provided by this chapter, the |
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center shall: |
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(1) work directly with: |
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(A) the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker |
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of the house of representatives, and members of the legislature; |
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and |
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(B) members of the State Board of Education; and |
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(2) work with the agency and other state agencies, |
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regional education service centers, school districts, and |
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open-enrollment charter schools. |
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Sec. 9.003. CENTER DUTIES. (a) The center shall promote |
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the use of successful methods to increase performance at the school |
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district and campus levels. |
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(b) The center shall evaluate and rank the performance of |
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each school district, campus, and open-enrollment charter school |
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and provide a progress report and recommendations each year to: |
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(1) the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the |
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house of representatives, Legislative Budget Board, commissioner, |
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and State Board of Education; and |
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(2) districts, campuses, and open-enrollment charter |
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schools. |
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(c) The center may assist the legislature with policy |
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studies related to the center's duties. The center may participate |
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in collaborative studies with a foundation or organization inside |
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or outside this state related to the center's duties. |
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(d) The center shall seek information, data, and best |
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practices from state, regional, and national sources to use in |
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performing the center's duties provided by this chapter. |
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(e) The center may contract with independent experts, |
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academic scholars, and other appropriate professionals in |
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performing the center's duties provided by this chapter. |
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Sec. 9.004. CENTER LOCATION. The center shall be located at |
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an institution of higher education or a private or independent |
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institution of higher education, as those terms are defined under |
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Section 61.003, selected as provided by Section 9.006(b). |
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Sec. 9.005. BOARD. (a) The Center for Education |
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Performance and Learning Board is created as the primary |
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policy-making body of the center. |
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(b) The board is composed of seven members. Members of the |
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board shall be appointed as follows: |
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(1) one member appointed by the governor; |
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(2) one additional member appointed by the governor |
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from a list of nominees submitted by the speaker of the house of |
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representatives; |
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(3) one member appointed by the lieutenant governor; |
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(4) one member appointed by the commissioner; |
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(5) one member appointed by the chair of the Texas |
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Higher Education Coordinating Board; |
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(6) one member appointed by the chair of the State |
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Board of Education; and |
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(7) one member appointed by the chair of the Texas |
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Workforce Commission. |
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(c) In making an appointment under Subsection (b)(2), the |
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governor may reject one or more nominees on a list submitted by the |
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speaker of the house of representatives and request a new list of |
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different nominees. |
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(d) The board members appointed under this section must |
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include individuals in the private sector who have an interest in |
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improving performance in public education and significant |
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experience in organizational management, finance, or business. A |
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board member may not: |
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(1) be a member of the board of trustees or an employee |
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of a school district or a member of the governing body or an |
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employee of or a charter holder of a charter for an open-enrollment |
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charter school; or |
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(2) have a financial relationship with a vendor or |
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contractor who provides goods or services to any part of the public |
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education system of this state. |
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(e) Board members serve two-year terms. |
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(f) Board members shall annually elect one member as the |
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presiding officer. |
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(g) A board member may not receive a salary for services as a |
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board member but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in |
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attending board meetings. |
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Sec. 9.006. BOARD DUTIES. (a) The board shall study the |
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elements of an effective and efficient system of public free |
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schools and make recommendations to: |
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(1) improve the performance of the public education |
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system to meet the demands of the current century; |
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(2) improve the state's ability to compete |
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educationally and economically with other states and countries; and |
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(3) provide the public, including persons involved in |
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policymaking, with information on public education performance. |
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(b) The board shall select the location for the center |
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through a request for proposal process. The institution of higher |
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education or private or independent institution of higher |
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education, as those terms are defined under Section 61.003, |
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selected shall serve a term of four years or until its successor is |
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selected. For the initial center location contract and not later |
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than the 60th day before the date each current center location |
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contract expires, the board shall issue a notice stating the time |
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and place in which proposals will be received for selecting a |
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location for the center. The notice must include a uniform |
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proposal blank in the form prescribed by the board. The board may |
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add to the uniform proposal blank other terms that do not unfairly |
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restrict competition of institutions of higher education. The |
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board shall state the selection criteria in the request for |
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proposals and shall select the proposal that offers the best value |
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to the center based on the evaluation and ranking of each submitted |
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proposal in relation to the stated selection criteria. |
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(c) The board shall provide a report of the board's study |
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and recommendations under Subsection (a) to: |
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(1) the Legislative Budget Board at least once each |
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year; and |
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(2) the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the |
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house of representatives, legislature, commissioner, and State |
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Board of Education before the convening of each regular legislative |
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session. |
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Sec. 9.007. SUPPORT FOR PERFORMANCE OF DUTIES. (a) State |
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agencies, including the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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and the Texas Workforce Commission, and regional education service |
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centers, school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools |
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shall fully cooperate with and assist the center at the board's |
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request. |
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(b) Data and information necessary to perform the center's |
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duties under this chapter shall be provided at the board's request |
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in a timely manner and at minimal cost. The board and center shall |
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require confidentiality and other security measures for student |
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data and information consistent with the Family Educational Rights |
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and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). |
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Sec. 9.008. FUNDING. The center may be funded by donations, |
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grants, and legislative appropriations. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |