Teacher Pay, Benefits, and Development

• Since 1999, salaries of classroom teachers have increased $11,70.
• House Bill 1 (79^th Third Called) passed by the Legislature in May, 2006, gave classroom teachers, full-time librarians, and full-time counselors, a $2,000 pay raise, effective fiscal year 2007.
• House Bill 1 (79^th Third Called) also gave school district employees subject to the state minimum salary schedule to a $2,500 salary increase in 2006-07.
• House Bill 1024 (78R) granted school districts greater flexibility over the staff development training that they are able to provide. The bill amended requirements in the Education Code that directed school districts to provide staff development training that covered topics such as technology, conflict resolution, discipline strategies, classroom management, and instruction of students with disabilities. The bill allowed school districts to develop staff training strategies rather than requiring them to rely on strategies designed by the Texas Education Agency. The bill
  was consistent with a more limited government because it increased the freedom of school districts to respond to local conditions and needs without interference from the state.
• House Bill 1022 (78R) established that an educator's contract of employment is void if they do not hold appropriate certification from the State Board of Education. House Bill 1022 provided that an educator's contract of employment is void if the employee does not hold a certificate or permit from the State Board of Educator Certification, or if the employee fails to fulfill requirements necessary to extend a temporary or emergency contract or permit. Under these circumstances, the bill authorized a school board to terminate the employee, suspend the employee, or retain the employee on an at-will basis in a position other than in a classroom.
• Senate Bill 1846 (80R) authorized a thirteenth retirement benefit check for former teachers; an important recognition of their service to Texas' public schools.
• House Bill 3343 (77R) created a health insurance plan for teachers and public school employees.
  The bill authorized an annual pass-through of $1,000 per teacher or public school employee to be used toward health insurance or as supplemental salary.

Student Assessment

• Senate Bill 1031 (80R) abolished the TAKS test, replacing it with end-of-course assessments that must make up 15 percent of a student's course-end grade. End-of-course assessments set clear expectations for students and teachers and will improve educational outcomes.
• House Bill 1 (80R or 79S3?) established high school minimum graduation requirements to ensure that high school graduates have completed four years of study in core-curriculum areas. In addition to providing property tax relief, HB 1 (79S3) also directed the State Board of Education to adopt rules so that high school students are required to complete four years of English, math, science, and social studies before being permitted to graduate. Establishing this minimum standard was an important reform that will help ensure that high school graduates have the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in both higher education and the employment marketplace.

School Performance

• Senate Bill 493 (79R) required the Commissioner of Education to reduce the volume of written reports that must be produced by school districts and to limit the number of written reports that classroom teachers and school principals are required to complete.
• Reducing unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy is an important part of ensuring that public entities work effectively and efficiently. This is especially important for entities such as schools that work directly with the public and should primarily focus their efforts on their interactions with students.
• House Bill 3297 (79R) gave parents and families easy access to the Texas Education Agency's assessed performance ratings of schools. The Texas Education Agency evaluates the performance of school districts and gives schools a designated assessed performance based on the evaluation.
  There are four designations: "exemplary," "recognized," "academically acceptable," and "academically unacceptable." These designations give parents an idea of the performance of schools and can therefore play an important role in the relationship between schools, parents, and students. HB 3297 required schools to indicate their performance designation on the first report card issued to each student every school year; this ensures that parents are aware of the performance of their child's school. The bill also required schools' performance designations to be posted on school districts' websites.

Drop Out Rates

Virtual School Network

• Senate Bill 1788 (80R) authorizes the creation of a virtual school network that will make high-quality courses available to all students in the state. Despite notable exceptions, such as Plano ISD's eSchool and Houston ISD's "Virtual School Texas," the state lags behind many other states with regard to electronic distance learning networks. A virtual school network will be particularly beneficial because it directly addresses the challenges that school districts face with regard to classroom space and transportation. Students will be able to study the very best courses in the state on the virtual school network without placing any burden on a new school in terms of classroom space or transportation costs. Additionally, through a virtual school network, school districts could share the costs of providing courses that they would not otherwise be able to afford.

Protecting School Children

• Senate Bill 9 (80R) requires all public school employees to undertake national criminal history background checks, which will greatly improve the safety of Texas school children.
• Senate Bill 8 (80R) requires the University Interscholastic League to establish and administer a random steroid testing program that involves a statistically significant number of high school athletes to protect the health of school children. Mandatory or random testing of high school athletes is clearly important given the number of students who have admitted to taking steroids. Testing can help identify students who are taking steroids so that they can receive the medical assistance or counseling they may need. The results of any positive steroid test would be confidential and may only be disclosed to the student, the student's parents, and activity directors, principal, and assistant principals of the school attend.