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HB 743 (Rep. Huberty – R) — TAKES AUTHORITY AWAY FROM ELECTED TEXAS SBOE MEMBERS AND GIVES THAT AUTHORITY TO APPOINTED COMMITTEE

As I have noted before….

Republicans Usher In Progressive Education Reform in Texas

HB 743 (Rep. Huberty – R) — TAKES AUTHORITY AWAY FROM ELECTED TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS AND GIVES THAT AUTHORITY TO APPOINTED COMMITTEE

By Donna Garner

The Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) is different from the Texas Legislature.  The SBOE members are not paid for their service. They do not have offices where high-paid lobbyists “camp out” on a daily basis as they do in the legislature, trying to influence every move that legislators make.  The SBOE is meant to remain as free as possible from undue influences that would corrupt their decisions.

“We the People” have elected SBOE members to decide on education issues impacting all public school students, their families, and educators.  We do not want an appointed advisory committee that will report to those who appointed them.

 Tomorrow, 3.24.15, HB 743 is to be heard in the House Education Committee. 

 HB 743 (Rep. Dan Huberty – R) — http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Text.aspx?LegSess=84R&Bill=HB743

HB 743 would require that an assessment instrument [a.k.a., STAAR/End-of-Course test],before it is administered, be determined to be valid and reliable, based on empirical evidence, by an independent entity.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) would be required to ensure that an assessment instrument is designed to primarily assess the essential knowledge and skills identified by the SBOE of the subject and for the grade level for which it is administered.

HB 743 would establish an APPOINTED advisory committee to “review” the SBOE recommendations. This is a political way of saying, an appointed committee would have authority over the elected members of the SBOE.

The SBOE already has “advisory” committees that make recommendations on the TEKS (our appointed writing/review teams). These advisory panels are composed of well qualified teachers, instruction specialists, school administrators, industry representatives, and parents who make recommendations on all facets of the TEKS development and refinement.

Who would be on the appointed committee under HB 743?

4 members of House Ed appointed by Speaker of the House

4 members of Senate Ed appointed by the Lt. Gov.

2 members of the public appointed by the Lt. Gov.

appointed by the Speaker of the House.

Therefore, it is the clear intent of Huberty’s HB 473 to pass a bill that would put an APPOINTED committee to sit in judgment over the elected SBOE’s recommendations about the number and scope of the TEKS for each subject, the number and subjects of assessments for grades 3-8, and what standards the assessments should test.

The elected SBOE has been doing an excellent job with the TEKS having adopted the best foundational/knowledge based curriculum standards in the entire United States.  Texas is actually the envy of parents all over the country.  How ironic that our own House member should be trying to usurp the authority from the very people the constituents in this state have elected.

Rep. Dan Huberty needs to quit trying to usurp the authority duly given to the elected members of the SBOE.

HB 1868 (Rep. Isaac – R) also has similar language to Huberty’s 743 about an appointed advisory committee.  

I hope you will join me in calling your Texas State Reps and Senators and say…..

STOP legislating our children’s future opportunities away, they are not your Human Capital!! VOTE NO on Huberty and Isaac’s bills along with all of Kel Seliger’s bills in the Senate and all the school choice bills that will completely take away my families choice for a solid education of opportunity for our children!!  CHOICE  is NO CHOICE when we have NO VOICE!! 

Texas House of Representatives

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