1. TEXAS K-12 CTO’S JUNE 18, 2015 UPDATE ON THE 84 TH LEGISLATURE Presented by Deborah Giles Texas Technology Consortium

2. SCHOOL DISTRICT TECHNOLOGY FUNDING 2011 – 82 nd Legislature combined Technology Allotment Fund with the Textbook Fund into the Instructional Materials Fund. SB 6: Gave local school districts control and flexibility on content delivery Allowed traditional books and/or digital content and technology products to be purchased by school districts Provided funding for teacher training on use of technology Required 50% of SBOE’s distribution from the Permanent School Fund to the Instructional Materials Fund Required school districts to certify that all their students have access to instructional materials that cover all the TEKS for each subject area

3. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS ALLOTMENT FUND (IMA) Local School Districts can use Instructional Materials Fund Money for: Traditional printed textbooks Digital content Teacher training in use of technology Technology equipment for instructional use

4. TECHNOLOGY FUNDING DECLINING 2010-2011 (Tech Allotment) - $270 million 2012-2013 (IMA) - $98 million (tech spending) 2014-2015 (IMA) - $54.5 million (tech spending) Reasons for Decline: Cost of Instructional Materials has escalated because of the size of the proclamations School districts have had very little money left over for technology acquisition

5. IMA BILLS PASSED BY THE 84 th LEGISLATURE HB 1474 by Gary VanDeaver and Kevin Eltife requires transfers from the Permanent School Fund to the Instructional Materials Fund to be made each biennium instead of each year. (Front Loads the $ in the First Year) SB 313 by Kel Seliger and Jimmie Don Aycock requires the State Board of Education to conduct a review of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills requirements of each foundation curriculum subject (except the recently adopted math standards), with the intent of narrowing the content and scope of standards and skills for the subject at each grade level. IMA Changes: Front loads IMA money in the first year of the biennium (same as HB 1474) Prohibits the SBOE from adopting a proclamation in which the total cost of materials exceeds 75 percent of the total amount used to fund the IMA

6. ADDITIONAL IMA FUNDING PROVIDED IN HB 1 HB 1 includes $529.685 million per year or $1.059 billion for the 2016-2017 biennium for the Instructional Materials Allotment, an increase of $213 million over 2014-2015. Rider 8 allows the Commissioner to set aside up to $2.5 million for the biennium for the continued support and delivery of online college readiness materials in English language arts and reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. It appropriates any balances held in the State Instructional Materials Fund on August 31, 2015 for use in fiscal year 2016 for the same purposes. Article IX contains a provision in Section 18.25 that is contingent on the passage of HB 1474, the 2017 allocation of $527.434 million is transferred from 2017 to 2016.

7. STUDENT DATA PRIVACY DID NOT PASS: HB 2156 by Gary VanDeaver would have prohibited a school (technology) service provider from retaining student personal information beyond the period that the school or teacher has authorized the provider to retain the information unless the provider has received consent from the student or the student’s parent. HB 2156 DIED in the House Public Education Committee.

8. BROADBAND ACCESS DID NOT PASS: HB 1475 by Jimmie Don Aycock would have continued the telecommunications services discounts for educational institutions, libraries, hospitals, and telemedicine centers from January 1, 2016 to January 1, 2024. Withdrawn from the House Public Education Committee agenda. HB 2199 by Tan Parker and SB 1009 by Kevin Eltife would have increased the total refund amount for the sales and use tax refund for tangible personal property used to provide cable television service, Internet access service, or telecommunications services from $50 million per year to $150 million per year. HB 2199 and SB 1009 both died on the House Calendar.

9. PUBLIC SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM HB 1759 by Jimmie Don Aycock (R-Killeen is a major school finance reform bill (Pre-emptive Strike). Chairman Aycock withdrew it. School Finance Lawsuit Timeline: Initially Filed October 11, 2011 Unconstitutional Ruling From the Bench February 5, 2013 Re-hearing Due to Changes January 21, 2014 Formal Unconstitutional RulingAugust 28, 2014 Deadline for Supreme Court BriefsAugust 11, 2015 Oral Arguments Oct. – Dec. 2015 Texas Supreme Court Decision Feb. – May 2016 Injunction DeadlineSept. ‘16–June ‘17

10. GOVERNOR’S EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PACKAGE All five bills in Governor Greg Abbott’s early childhood education package were passed, signed, and taken effect including: HB 4, high quality Pre-Kindergarten SB 925, literacy achievement academies SB 934, math achievement academies SB 935, reading excellence teams SB 972, Reading-to-Learn academies

11. OTHER KEY PUBLIC EDUCATION BILLS THAT PASSED HB 505 – Prohibits TEA or THECB from limiting the number of dual credit courses or hours in which a student can enroll while in high school HB 1164 – Establishes a pilot program to use alternative writing tests HB 1842 – Establishes innovation zones allowing districts to waive restrictions to provide innovations in curriculum, instructional methods, and other modifications HB 2804 – Establishes five “domains” for school district and campus rating and provides A-F accountability ratings beginning with the 2017-18 school year SB 149 – Requires school districts to appoint an Individual Graduation Committee for each student who fails an end-of-course test SB 455 – Authorizes the Attorney General to petition the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court to appoint a special 3-member Court to hear school finance (and redistricting) cases

12. KEY PUBLIC EDUCATION BILLS THAT FAILED Bills FAILED That Would Have: Instituted private school vouchers or tax-credit scholarships Established recovery school districts/opportunity school districts Authorized parents of students in campuses from unacceptable performance rating to request reconstitution or closure (parent trigger) Allowed home-school students to participate in UIL activities

13. KEY BUDGET NUMBERS All Funds Spending $209.4 Billion Increase over 2014-15 +3.6% General Revenue Spending$106.6 Billion Increase over 2014-15+12.0% Amount Under Available Revenue$6.4 Billion Amount Under Spending Limit$2.9 Billion Amount in the Rainy Day Fund$11.1 Billion

14. MAJOR PLAYER ANNOUNCEMENTS Chairman Aycock Retiring From The House House Speaker Straus Seeking Re-election Dan Patrick Not Running For Governor – EVER 2 Senate Members Not Seeking Re-election: Kevin Eltife, Troy Fraser 8 House Members Not Seeking Re-election: Jimmie Don Aycock, Allen Fletcher, Joe Farias, Patricia Harless, Bryan Hughes, Jim Keffer, David Simpson, Sylvester Turner

15. NEXT STEPS Key Upcoming Dates: Governor’s Veto Period Ends – June 21, 2015 Fundraising Moratorium Ends – June 22, 2015 INTERIM STRATEGY: Develop Relationships With Local Legislators Plan 2017 Legislative Priorities