SB 3 and HB 3 Heard in Committee, Being Reworked

SB 3 by Senator Florence Shapiro and HB 3 by Representative Rob Eissler were heard in their respective committees on Tuesday, March 17. Most interested groups, including TIER and the Texas Coalition for a Competitive Workforce (TCCW)—of which TIER is a member—testified neutrally on the bill as they identified several significant problems that needed to be addressed.

After hearing several hours of testimony, both committees left the bills pending. This is customary for omnibus bills and gives the authors time to address concerns before the committee votes.

The authors asked interested groups to provide suggested amendment that they would consider including in the committee substitute bill. Along with the TCCW, TIER supports the following improvements that were submitted to the authors:

Issue 1: Establishing a single postsecondary readiness standard
Many of the problem areas of SB 3 stem from the fact that it does not establish a single base definition and a single base standard for postsecondary readiness—a standard that students must meet whether they choose to attend a four-year or two-year college, pursue industry training, enlist in the military, or enter the workforce. This standard assures that students have the basic knowledge and skills to become “trainable” in a variety of fields. This idea of “one standard, multiple pathways, and equal rigor” for the Texas Diploma ensures that students can pursue different educational paths, change jobs, or change careers without needing remediation.
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Articles in this issue of TIER CAPITOL UPDATE Volume1, Issue6

• SB 3 and HB 3 Heard in Committee, Being Reworked
• Legislation Affecting Public Education

Read the entire issue in PDF