Transcript Highlights:

• It is important for me to note that this bill ensures changes to our CCMR align with a cohort of students
• or the industry-based certification process, with the five-year refresh so that changes made to the CCMR
• It updates the definition of military readiness and requires a degree of tiering inside the CCMR indicators

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• It is important for me to note that this bill ensures changes to our CCMR aligned with a cohort of students
• IBC, or the industry-based certification process, with the five-year refresh so that changes made to CCMR
• mechanism, updates the definition of military readiness, requires a degree of tiering inside of the CCMR

Bills: HB8

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Summary: The House Committee on Public Education met to hear House Bill 8, which would replace STAAR with a new assessment and accountability system beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The chair described the bill as reducing testing time, limiting benchmark tests, adding beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year assessments, requiring faster score turnaround, involving Texas teachers in test development, and tightening accountability timelines and transparency rules. Members also discussed provisions on A-F ratings, cut scores, CCMR, local accountability plans, and TEA reporting requirements. Committee members and invited witnesses split sharply on the bill’s approach. Supporters, including the chair, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, and Ed Trust’s Nicholas Munyon Penny, argued the bill would reduce high-stakes pressure, provide quicker and more actionable data, limit over-testing, and better align assessments to Texas standards while preserving criterion-referenced accountability. They said the new system would help teachers and parents intervene sooner and would improve transparency, including parent access to student responses and automatic rescoring in some writing cases. Opponents, including Rep. Hinojosa and student witness Ella Moran, argued the bill still increases testing and replaces one high-stakes test with multiple TEA-created tests. Moran testified that STAAR creates anxiety, disrupts instruction, and does not reflect real learning, while Hinojosa said the House had previously passed a better bill based on a nationally norm-referenced model and criticized the new proposal as a concession to the Senate. Questions also focused on AI scoring of writing, rescoring rates, and whether the bill’s new accountability rules would be reliable and fair. The committee did not take a final vote during the portion provided, but the chair said a vote on HB 8 would be called after public testimony later in the day.

Bills: SB9, SB 9

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap, tax rollback, tax levy, maintenance and operations, debt rate, disaster relief rate, Texas Legislature, local taxing unit, school assessment

Transcript Highlights:

• We recognize SAT and our CCMR indicators.
• This is more related to CCMR.
• Because they're getting CCMR credit?
• So for Algebraic Reasoning, it's CCMR, right?
• CCMR rating, but like 70 to 80% of their students are earning their CCMR point only because they're completing

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you go through JROTC and you have a satisfactory score on the ASVAB, that counts for CCMR purposes

Bills: HB8, HB26, HB192

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Bills: SB9, SB1047, SB1048, SJR17, SJR49, SB40, SJR1, SJR5, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 1

Keywords: bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, criminal procedure, public safety report, victim notification, family violence, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunction, taxpayer rights, violent crimes, sexual offenses, community safety, constitutional amendment, trafficking

Bills: SB9, SB1047, SB1048, SJR17, SJR49, SB40, SJR1, SJR5, SB 9, SB 40, SJR 1

Keywords: bail reform, defendants, pretrial detention, public safety, criminal justice, charitable bail organizations, criminal procedure, public safety report, victim notification, family violence, bail bonds, public funds, political subdivision, injunction, taxpayer rights, violent crimes, sexual offenses, community safety, constitutional amendment, trafficking

Transcript Highlights:

• But my question is, under the current CCMR, how are we recognizing this?
• And so, under CCMR, there's hundred different ways for schools to check the box in CCMR.
• organization to ensure that we have mechanisms to identify that, vet it, and then make that available in the CCMR
• Well we recognize floral design as a CCMR indicator, meaning that if you have a student that participates
• The P-TECH program has worked very, very well P-TECH graduates demonstrate CCMR.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So if you go through JROTC and you have a satisfactory... score on the ASVAB, that counts for CCMR purposes

Bills: HB8, HB26, HB192

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• It is an amazing program in CCMR.
• like to see the state raise the point value and it's It's accountability ratings to go from like a CCMR
• trying to figure out how they were going to get, they have to have a certificate to get credit under CCMR

Bills: HB20, HB 120, HB20, HB120

Keywords: applied sciences, career education, high school diploma, certificate program, work-based learning, job placement, high-growth jobs, technical training, career readiness, education reform, workforce training, public schools, financial aid, fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, it is an amazing program, um, in CCMR The M obviously stands for military and it gets ignored a little
• like to see the state raise the point value and its accountability, uh, ratings to go from like a CCMR
• figure out how they were going to get uh that they have to have their certificate to get credit under CCMR

Bills: HB20, HB120

Keywords: fraudulent solicitation, disaster relief, nonprofit organizations, criminal penalties, consumer protection, fraud prevention, charitable donations, higher education, LGBTQ studies, DEI studies, program prohibition, educational policy, HB120, Texas, Texas Education Code, public universities, public colleges, queer studies, gay studies, lesbian studies

Transcript Highlights:

• And in CCMR generally slide 26 gives you a breakdown of how well students are doing in terms of graduating
• You saw early on in the presentation an overall percentage of CCMR rates for high school graduates.
• This gives you a break. breakdown of different types of CCMR.
• And how do we define CCMR points, especially for career preparation in the A through F system.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It is important for me to note the bill ensures changes to the CCMR so that it aligns with the cohort
• We allow districts more flexibility in submitting corrections to their CCMR data for graduating seniors

Bills: HB8, HB12, SB 3, HJR1, SB 11, SB 16, SB 14

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Bills: HB8, HB9, HJR1, HB 22

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• gets into the A through F part of the bill, which we are really grateful to see some tiering in those CCMR
• gets into the A through F part of the bill, which we are really grateful to see some tiering in those CCMR
• attainment ratings among our peer states. which we are really grateful to see some tiering in those CCMR
• By weighting CCMR indicators based on their correlation with post-secondary success, this bill incentivizes

Summary: The committee continued hearing testimony on Senate Bill 2252, which would expand early literacy and numeracy screening, parent notification, intervention supports, and teacher training, including math academies and early childhood supports. Supporters from Texas 2036, Good Reason Houston, Texas Business Leadership Council, and several parents argued that early identification of skill gaps, clearer data for families, and stronger teacher preparation would improve student outcomes, workforce readiness, and long-term earnings. They cited low math proficiency statewide, the importance of early intervention, and examples of districts using screeners and data dashboards to guide instruction and resource allocation. One witness also highlighted home visiting as a family-support model, while another urged more funding for pre-K partnerships and stronger support for parents with reading materials and guidance. A district special education administrator testified neutrally, saying the bill reflects practices already used in her district but expressing concern that it could reduce local control and teacher discretion by standardizing screening and tying it to funding. A Texas Classroom Teachers Association representative supported the intent but warned that mandatory math academies and intervention academies could burden teachers if implemented like prior reading academies, and a substitute teacher/teacher-of-the-year witness asked for clearer protections around special education information and pay for alternative certification candidates. After public testimony closed, SB 2252 was left pending. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2253, as substituted, which would phase out routine hiring of uncertified teachers over time, require parent notification when a teacher is uncertified, and expand high-quality preparation pathways such as university programs, residencies, improved alternative certification, and grow-your-own programs. Senator Creighton said the bill responds to the rise in uncertified teachers and aims to strengthen the teacher pipeline with more structured preparation, mentorship, and oversight by SBEC. Invited testimony strongly supported the measure: a Texas Tech researcher said uncertified teachers and fast-track programs are associated with significant learning losses, while year-long residencies and mentored pathways produce stronger outcomes and higher earnings for students. Leaders from Dallas College and Sam Houston State University described successful residency and grow-your-own models, high completion and retention rates, and the need for paid residencies and stipends so candidates can afford to enter the profession. Committee members asked about the difference between mentorship and residency, the cost-effectiveness of paid residencies, retention incentives, and how to scale the model statewide. The committee also adopted the substitute for SB 2253 and later paused to vote out several other bills, including SB 1191, SB 1786, SB 226, SB 326, SB 570, SB 870, SB 991, SB 60, SB 365, SB 1401, and SB 1067, all of which were reported favorably, many with unanimous votes and some placed on the local and uncontested calendar.

Transcript Highlights:

• and requiring each school board to include in its required College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR

Bills: HB1022, HB2856, HB3114, HJR5, HB6, HB120, HB210, HB1458, HB1188, HB3126

Keywords: HB 1022, Sul Ross State University, Rio Grande College, Texas State University System, Education Code, higher education, course levels, upper-level college, lower-division courses, community college-style courses, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Uvalde, Board of Regents, academic programs, university expansion, HB 2856, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, clinical training placements, clinical rotations

Transcript Highlights:

• students earning a credential and then having the IBC revoked where our districts could not meet the CCMR
• So we're looking at that the testing is a piece, and we're still including CCMR, and we're still including

Bills: SB 1, HCR 20, HR 131, HR 133, HR 135, HR 136, HR 137, HR 144, HR 145, HR 146, HR 149, HR 150, HR 151, HR 152, HR 158, HR 161, HR 162, HR 163, HR 165, HR 166, HR 168, HR 169, HR 170, HR 175, HR 178, HR 127, HR 129, HR 130, HR 132, HR 134, HR 138, HR 139, HR 140, HR 141, HR 142, HR 143, HR 153, HR 154, HR 155, HR 156, HR 159, HR 160, HR 164, HR 167, HR 172, HR 173, HR 176, SB 1, HB 8, HB 15, HB 27, SB 5

Keywords: campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, memorial, remembrance, legacy, condolences, community, higher education, university merger, research, public health, economic impact, healthcare, insurance, affordability, medical coverage, state regulations

Transcript Highlights:

• as part of yearly counseling meetings, and requiring each school board to include in its required CCMR

Bills: HB6, HB120, HB210

Keywords: hemp, consumable hemp products, hemp-derived cannabinoids, CBD, cannabidiol, CBG, cannabigerol, Texas hemp law, hemp regulation, cannabinoid products, delta-9 THC, intoxicating hemp, hemp gummies, hemp vape, retail registration, product registration, QR code labeling, child-resistant packaging, youth access, minor sales

Bills: SB9, SB7, SB17, SB4, SB1, HB4

Keywords: school assessment, public education, accountability, transparency, education standards, STAAR, Texas Education Agency, TEA, public school accountability, school ratings, A-F ratings, assessment reform, student testing, benchmark tests, interim assessments, through-year assessment, diagnostic reports, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plans

Summary: The Senate briefly convened and received a message from the House stating that the House was taking a vote. No bills, motions, or substantive policy matters were discussed in the exchange. Pursuant to a previously adopted motion, the Senate then adjourned until 7 p.m. on Thursday, August 21.