Issues We Are Following
An integral part of Houston Center for Literacy's advocacy
effort is to track legislative and agency actions affecting our
sector. Below are the issues we are tracking for the 83rd
Legislative Session.
To jump to a specific issue, click on a link below, otherwise,
scroll down the page to see all of the issues HCL is currently
tracking.
Texas Sunset Advisory Commission's Report on Texas Education
Agency
Most state agencies in Texas
undergo Sunset Review every twelve years. The Texas Sunset Advisory
Commission reviewed recently the Texas Education Agency for the
2013 Legislative Session. Houston Center for Literacy is tracking
"Issue 2" from the Commission's report recommending adult education
be transferred from the Texas Education Agency to the Texas
Workforce Commission.
To read the Sunset Advisory Commission's Report, please click
below.
UPDATE (12/19/12): On December 19, 2012, the
Texas Sunset Commission approved the recommendations to move adult
basic education from the Texas Education Agency to the Texas
Workforce Commission.
UPDATE (01/07/13): Representative Ryan
Guillen (Rio Grande City) filed HB 362 relating to the transfer of
adult education and literacy programs from the Texas Education
Agency to the Texas Workforce Commission on January 7, 2013. You
can read the text of the bill here.
UPDATE (01/31/13): Senator Joan Huffman
(Houston) filed SB 307, an identical companion bill to HB 362. You
can read the text of the bill here.
UPDATE (03/07/13): The TEA Sunset bills have
been filed. Representative Dutton (Houston) filed HB 2983 and Senators
Patrick (Houston) and Nichols (Jacksonville) filed SB 218.
Texas Sunset Advisory Commission Report on Texas
Education Agency
Bills Filed for the 83rd
Texas Legislative Session
Bills Houston Center for Literacy Supports:
HB 362 by Representative Ryan Guillen (Rio
Grande City) relating to the transfer of adult education and
literacy programs from the Texas Education Agency to the Texas
Workforce Commission.
UPDATE (02/11/13): Referred to House Economic &
Small Business Development
UPDATE (03/21/13): Passed out of House
Economic & Small Business Development (7-0-2)
UPDATE (04/19/13): SB
307 replaced HB 362 on the House floor.
Read the text of HB
362 (filed 01/07/13) here.
SB 307 by Senator Joan Huffman (Houston)
relating to the transfer of adult education and literacy programs
from the Texas Education Agency to the Texas Workforce
Commission.
UPDATE (02/05/13): Referred to the Senate Economic
Development Committee
UPDATE (03/25/13): Passed out of Senate Economic
Development Committee (6-0-1)
UPDATE (04/08/13): Passed the Texas Senate, no
amendments (31-0)
UPDATE (04/10/13): Referred to the House Economic
Development and Small Business Committee
UPDATE (04/17/13): Passed out of the House Economic
Development and Small Business Committee (8-0-1)
UPDATE (04/19/13): SB 307 replaced HB 362 on the House
floor. Passed to 3rd Reading.
Read the text of SB 307 (filed
01/31/13) here.
Bills Houston Center for Literacy is
watching:
HB 119 by Representative Lyle Larson (San
Antonio) relating to citizenship information reported by persons
who receive local or state money to provide services to individuals
in this state.
HB 172 by Representative Robert Alonzo
(Dallas) relating to a program to provide financial
incentives to students who agree to teach bilingual education,
English as a second language, or Spanish in certain public
schools.
HB 763 by Representative Ryan Guillen (Rio
Grande City) relating to the requirements for allocation of state
and federal funds for adult education programs.
HB 945 by Rep. Debbie Riddle relating to
abolishing certain county boards of education, boards of county
school trustees, and offices of county school superintendent.
Legislative Budget Board Effectiveness and Efficiency
Report
The Texas Legislative Budget Board (LBB) reviewed the
effectiveness and efficiency of adult education services in Texas.
In its January 2013 report, the LBB found that the Texas Education
Agency's (TEA) long-range statewide plan for adult basic education
was out-of-date and lacked guidance on coordination between
agencies and programs. The LBB recommended that a rider be included
with the General Appropriation Act (GAA) that would require TEA to
develop a comprehensive state-wide strategic plan to address gaps
in the system and target specific goals.
Read the LBB's recommendations for adult basic
education here.
Texas
Interagency Literacy Council Recommendations
In 2009, the Texas Legislature created the Interagency
Literacy Council to identify barriers facing literacy providers and
recommend solutions to those barriers. Headed by the executive
director of the Texas Workforce Commission, the Interagency
Literacy Council released its November 2012 Report to the Texas
Legislature, Governor Rick Perry, and the Texas Workforce
Investment Council.
Houston Center for Literacy attended town hall meetings
conducted by the Council and submitted information to the report.
As reflected in the report, HCL advocated for the adoption of a
state-wide database for non-federally funded community-based
organizations to use in order to better track student progress. HCL
has created the Texas Online Learner Database (TOLD) for use of
Houston-based organizations. HCL's comments were incorporated into
the report and we plan to follow-up to ensure the TOLD is available
to non-federally funded providers.
To read a full copy of the report, please click below.
Texas
Interagency Literacy Council Report