85R3496 MM-F     By: Anchia H.B. No. 404       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to higher education curriculum review teams to review   public school curriculum standards for college readiness purposes.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 28.0025 to read as follows:          Sec. 28.0025.  HIGHER EDUCATION CURRICULUM REVIEW TEAMS.   (a)  In this section, "institution of higher education" and   "private or independent institution of higher education" have the   meanings assigned by Section 61.003.          (b)  For each subject undergoing a review for the purpose of   identifying and adopting the essential knowledge and skills of a   subject of the required curriculum under Section 28.002, the   commissioner of higher education shall appoint a higher education   curriculum review team to review and make recommendations to the   State Board of Education concerning the essential knowledge and   skills to ensure that proposed essential knowledge and skills:                (1)  are factually accurate and aligned with   contemporary scholarship;                (2)  serve to prepare students for college; and                (3)  serve appropriate instructional purposes.          (c)  Each higher education curriculum review team shall   consist of not fewer than five and not more than 10 faculty members   of institutions of higher education or private or independent   institutions of higher education. Each member appointed to a team   must have:                (1)  at least five years of higher education teaching   experience in the subject under review and a terminal degree in that   subject; or                (2)  at least five years of higher education teaching   experience in the field of education and a doctoral degree in   education.          (d)  For each higher education curriculum review team, an   institution of higher education or private or independent   institution of higher education may nominate one faculty member   qualified under Subsection (c).  A nomination made under this   subsection must be submitted to the commissioner of higher   education together with a document of not more than one page   detailing the faculty member's experience, including specific   experience with the subject under review by the team.          (e)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in   collaboration with the commissioner of higher education, shall   develop and post on the board's Internet website a blind scoring   system, including the criteria on which the scoring is based, for   ranking nominations made under Subsection (d).          (f)  The commissioner of higher education, based on the   system developed under Subsection (e), shall make the appointments   to each higher education curriculum review team from among persons   nominated by institutions of higher education or private or   independent institutions of higher education under this section.          (g)  Notwithstanding Subsections (d) and (f), if the subject   under review by a higher education curriculum review team is career   and technical education, at least one member of the team must be   selected from each of the following institutions:                (1)  Texas State Technical College System; and                (2)  Lamar Institute of Technology.          (h)  In selecting appointees for a higher education   curriculum review team, the commissioner of higher education shall   attempt to achieve a balanced combination of educational   perspectives.          (i)  Each higher education curriculum review team shall,   before final identification and adoption of the essential knowledge   and skills by the State Board of Education, make recommendations to   the State Board of Education concerning the essential knowledge and   skills.          (j)  The agency shall post on the agency's Internet website   the recommendations of each higher education curriculum review   team.          (k)  The commissioner of higher education shall coordinate   with the State Board of Education as necessary for the   administration of this section.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2017.