September 2015 Committee on School Initiatives Item 4

Long-Range Plan for Public Education

September 11, 2015

COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL INITIATIVES: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION

SUMMARY: This item provides the board with the ability, if needed, to update the process for developing the long-range plan for public education or to begin work on the plan.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Education Code (TEC), §7.102(c).

PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The board in April 2015 approved a process for developing a new long-range plan for public education. That plan included approving a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), which seeks an outside facilitator to oversee the development process.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: A special committee of the board called the Ad Hoc Committee on the Long-Range Plan for Public Education estimated that $150,000 would be needed to do the necessary research and prepare a new long-range plan. To date, this funding has not been secured. It is the practice of the Texas Education Agency to issue RFQs only when sufficient funding is available to cover the requested work. Consequently, the RFQ has not been issued and the timeline within the RFQ is now out-of-date. In July, the board agreed to look for private funding sources that could underwrite the cost of developing the long-range plan.

FISCAL IMPACT: The Ad Hoc Committee estimated this project will cost about $150,000, which would cover the cost of the facilitator, regional meetings, preparation and publication of a final report. There may be additional costs in staff time or meeting costs for TEA and other entities, such as the regional Educational Service Centers or school districts that host meetings.

PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: The public and students would benefit from a long-term strategy designed to provide high quality education to Texas children.

PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: Unknown at this time.

PUBLIC COMMENTS: None.

OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: A separate agenda item in the Committee on School Initiatives would allow the board to accept donations and gifts should private funding sources be found. However, no private funding sources have been identified at the time the agenda went to press.

Staff Members Responsible:
Gene Acuna, Director
Division of Communications and SBOE Support

Debbie Ratcliffe, Director of Media Relations
Division of Communications and SBOE Support