MINUTES 
          
                      SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION 
                            Wednesday, March 4, 1998 
                                     9:30 am 
                         Capitol Extension, Room E1.012 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on  
         Education was held on Wednesday, March 4, 1998 in the Capitol  
         Extension, Room E1.012, at Austin, Texas.   
          
                                      ***** 
          
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Senator Teel Bivins                     Senator Eliot  
         Shapleigh 
         Senator Troy Fraser 
         Senator Michael Galloway 
         Senator Tom Haywood 
         Senator Gregory Luna 
         Senator Judith Zaffirini 
          
                                      ***** 
          
         The Chair called the meeting to order at 9:35 am.  There being  
         a quorum present, the following business was transacted.   
          
         The following members arrived after the roll was called:   
         none. 
          
         The Chair laid out the proposed committee rules for discussion  
         and adoption.  Senator Zaffirini moved that the rules be  
         adopted, there being no objection, the motion prevailed. 
          
         The Chair outlined the committee charges and the committee  
         discussed its objectives for the interim. 
          
         The Chair called the following witnesses to testify on the  
         indicated subject matter: 
          
              Survey on school safety and drug/alcohol prevention  
              programs (relating to Charges #1 and #2) 
          
                        Catherine Clark, Director, Texas Center  
                   for Educational Research 
                   Kerri Briggs, Research Analyst, Texas Center for  
                   Educational Research 
          
              School safety issues (Charge #1) 
  
                   Chuck Brawner, Chief of Police, Spring Branch ISD 
          
              Drug and alcohol prevention and treatment issues (Charge  
         #2) 
          
                   David Anderson, Chief Counsel, TEA 
                   Dr. Dick Spence,J Assistant Deputy Director,  
                   Research and Technology Transfer, TCADA 
                   B.J. Gibson,J Director for Accelerated Instruction,  
                   TEA 
                    
              Dyslexia services and programs issues (Charge #3) 
          
                   David D. Anderson,J Coordinator, Curriculum and  
                   Professional Development, TEA 
                   Jo Polk,J State Dyslexia Consultant, Region 10 ESC 
                   Melody Vuicich, PTA 
                   Dr. Barbara Foorman, Professor & Director, Center  
                   for Academic and Reading Skills, UT-Houston Medical  
                   School 
          
              Hearing and vision impaired services and programs issues  
              (Charge #3) 
          
                   John Dillard, Program Specialist, School Health  
                   Program, TDH 
                   Marty Murrel, Visual Impairment Deaf/Blind Program  
                   Specialist, TEA 
                   Sha Cowan, Director of Services for the Deaf, TEA 
          
              Bilingual Education (Charge #4) 
          
                   David Anderson, Chief Counsel, TEA 
                   Robert Norris, Manager, Public Education, LBB 
                   Dr. Russell Gersten, President, Eugene Research  
                   Institute 
                   Ann Smisko, Commissioner for Programs and  
                   Instruction, TEA 
                   Dr. Chris Green, IDRA 
                   Maria Medina Seidner, Director of Bilingual  
                   Education, TEA 
          
              Teacher computer access and training 
          
                   Ann Smisko, J Commissioner for Programs and  
         Instruction, TEA  
                   Anita Givens, J Sr. Director of Instructional  
         Technology, TEA    
          
         Closing remarks from the Chair and committee members. 
          
         There being no further business, at 1:38 pm Senator Bivins  
  
         moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of  
         the Chair.  Without objection, it was so ordered.   
          
         ______________________ 
         Senator Teel Bivins, Chair 
          
         ______________________ 
         Krissy Lilljedahl, Clerk