BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 773

By: VanDeaver

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

While Texas meets certain requirements of the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act by offering programs of study leading to industry-based certification and work-based learning, public school districts are not currently evaluated under the public school accountability system for offering these same programs of study. These programs prepare students for high-demand, high-skill, and high-wage professions within Texas and provide coursework and practical experience that align students' education with the state's economic needs. H.B. 773 seeks to align state indicators with federal indicators, giving credit to campuses and districts that offer these programs, and to incentivize other districts to offer more of these programs, by creating an indicator of achievement under the public school accountability system for students who successfully complete a program of study in career and technical education.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 773 amends the Education Code to create, for purposes of the public school accountability system, an indicator in the student achievement domain for high school campuses and districts that include those campuses to account for students who successfully completed a program of study in career and technical education.

H.B. 773 applies beginning with the 2021-2022 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.