The Senate Education Committee met Wednesday morning, Oct. 14, in Austin to discuss teacher workforce and adult education topics. Members of the committee met in person and heard testimony from invited witnesses who spoke to the committee virtually. The committee did not hear public testimony.

Chairman Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) said each committee member was tested for COVID-19 prior to the meeting. Members on the dais were separated by clear plastic dividers and some wore face coverings. Chairman Taylor said the committee plans to hold one more meeting before the 87th Texas Legislature meets in January.

The committee first discussed the Goodwill Excel Center, which is a public charter school system serving adults between the ages of 18 and 50. There are six Excel Center campuses across the state that provide non-traditional adult students with a flexible school setting so that they can earn high school diplomas or their equivalent, as well as industry certifications. During the 2019 legislative session, ATPE supported House Bill (HB) 1051 by Rep. Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston), which made permanent the Goodwill Excel Center and codified its best practices. Because of issues regarding how the current public school accountability system "fits" the Excel Center model, Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff said the agency is developing an alternative evaluation regime that addresses differences in educating adults.

In addition to the Excel Center, there are several independent school districts across the state that serve adults up to age 25, in addition to the state-run Windham School District, which also offers adult education to incarcerated persons up to age 25. Windham staff testified their district serves 27,000 students per year, offering courses that lead to a high school diploma or career and technical certification. Unfortunately, Windham is subject to proposed TEA budget cuts that ATPE advocated against, citing potential harm to at-risk and disadvantaged student populations. The committee additionally heard from the San Antonio College Empowerment Center, which also offers adult education services.

The committee then discussed the recommendations of a working group on teacher workforce issues convened by the lieutenant governor. ATPE Senior Lobbyist Monty Exter was one of three representatives of the group invited to provide testimony today. The work group pointed out the gradual accumulation of confusing and often duplicative training requirements placed on educators. The requirements found in both Texas statutes and rules have become excessive and repetitive, preventing educators from pursuing training opportunities that best support their individual needs.

Monty Exter testified virtually before the Senate Education committee, Oct. 14, 2020.

The group recommended the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) create a statewide clearinghouse of training requirements that includes recommendations for best practices and frequency of training. The group said the state should empower local school boards to take information from that clearinghouse and adopt those requirements on a an annual basis. ATPE's  Exter testified that the state should streamline professional development to eliminate duplication and confusion. Exter also pointed out there is a wide variety of requirements for recordkeeping and reporting, and suggested records should be retained locally, with districts allowed to provide them to TEA upon request in order to reduce paperwork.

The work group is preparing to release a 70-page document containing consensus recommendations approved by a large number of education stakeholders, including ATPE. The committee lastly heard from a number of educator preparation providers (EPPs) regarding the importance of preparing teachers for online learning.

ATPE submitted written testimony to the committee that offered a number of recommendations on the broader topic of teacher workforce issues. ATPE recommended the legislature ensure funding is in place to maintain any raises educators received as a result of House Bill (HB) 3 last session and fully fund mentoring and induction programs. ATPE recommended lawmakers also fund continuing professional education initiatives and maintain the freedom of educators to choose the professional development programs best for them. ATPE also recommended the state provide tuition assistance to increase diversity in the teacher workforce and lower the financial burden of attending high-quality undergraduate EPP programs.