Bill Text: TX HB4064 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to an earth, environment, and planetary sciences pilot program in the Houston Independent School District.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-20 - Referred to Public Education [HB4064 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB4064-Introduced.html
88R9590 AMF-D | ||
By: A. Johnson of Harris | H.B. No. 4064 |
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relating to an earth, environment, and planetary sciences pilot | ||
program in the Houston Independent School District. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 29.935 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 29.935. EARTH, ENVIRONMENT, AND PLANETARY SCIENCES | ||
PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "pilot program" means the | ||
earth, environment, and planetary sciences program offered by the | ||
Houston Independent School District. | ||
(b) The Houston Independent School District shall, in | ||
collaboration with Rice University, establish and implement a pilot | ||
program that uses local institutions and resources, including the | ||
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, the Houston Museum of Natural | ||
Science, and the Lunar and Planetary Institute to encourage student | ||
engagement in earth, environment, and planetary sciences and foster | ||
connections for students interested in careers in those and related | ||
fields of study. | ||
(c) The program may include: | ||
(1) a student outreach program to train graduate and | ||
undergraduate students in earth, environment, and planetary | ||
sciences and related fields of study on effective communication and | ||
teaching strategies in preparation for leading Houston Independent | ||
School District students in age-appropriate lessons and activities | ||
involving current scientific research; | ||
(2) professional development for Houston Independent | ||
School District teachers that provides strategies and resources for | ||
teaching earth, environment, and planetary sciences content; | ||
(3) career information sessions for Houston | ||
Independent School District students that are hosted by Rice | ||
University graduate students, faculty, and alumni working in the | ||
earth, environment, and planetary sciences and related fields of | ||
study; | ||
(4) community events, field trips, and summer | ||
programming for Houston Independent School District students and | ||
their families to explore developments in earth, environment, and | ||
planetary sciences and related fields of study through hands-on | ||
learning activities; and | ||
(5) summer research internship opportunities for | ||
rising juniors and seniors enrolled in Houston Independent School | ||
District. | ||
(d) Not later than September 1, 2025, the board of trustees | ||
of the Houston Independent School District shall prepare and | ||
deliver to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of | ||
the house of representatives, and the presiding officer of each | ||
legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction over | ||
primary and secondary education a report that evaluates the | ||
effectiveness of the pilot program. The report must include the | ||
district's recommendations regarding whether the pilot program | ||
should be continued, expanded, or terminated. | ||
(e) This section expires September 1, 2025. | ||
SECTION 2. The Houston Independent School District shall | ||
establish the pilot program under Section 29.935, Education Code, | ||
as added by this Act, as soon as practicable following the effective | ||
date of this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |