It’s Texas Independence Day!! Wave the flag proudly, fellow Texans.

Many educators are hoping for some independence from the requirements of HB 4545, now located at Texas Education Code 28.0211. Many parents feel the same. HB 4545 was the big surprise from the 2021 legislative session. The bill is a clumsy, one-size-fits-all approach to bringing kids up to speed after the pandemic. I cannot think of a piece of legislation that has created more anger and frustration than this one. Parents were angry. Teachers were angry. And when the legislators got word of the practical consequences of this bill, they got angry too. I attended a pre-legislative meeting last fall in which I heard four representatives basically apologize for this mess and promise to make corrections in 2023.

Nine bills have been introduced that would amend Texas Education Code 28.0211, which is entitled Satisfactory Performance on Assessment Instruments Required; Accelerated Instruction. Three of the bills are described as duplicative: HB 509, HB 1267, and HB 1326. Other bills that take a shot at fixing things are HB 272, HB 1981, HB 1983, and HB 2031. I think the most comprehensive approach to reform is in HB 1416, introduced by Representative Keith Bell of Kaufman County. It seeks to amend 13 subsections of TEC 28.0211, and to add seven new subsections.

We won’t know what is going to happen until it does, but it looks like something will happen. Stay tuned for the end of the session.

By the way, we will be talking about legislative activity in our monthly Zoom with the Dawg session on March 23rd when I will be joined by Mark Terry from TEPSA and Andrea Chevalier from TCASE. Hope you can join us.

DAWG BONE: HB 4545: GOOD INTENTIONS GONE AWRY.

Got a question or comment for the Dawg? Let me hear from you at jwalsh@wabsa.com.

Tomorrow: the big push for parent rights