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Federal education laws, like the Perkins Act, are interpreted and implemented at the local level through state governments, agencies, and school districts. The Perkins Act

of 2006 allows for state and local flexibility in providing services and activities designed to develop, implement, and improve career and technical education.  Consequently, each state administers CTE differently.

 

 

Texas Legislature

In Texas, the administrative structure of CTE starts with the State Legislature which is responsible for writing and passing bills that are signed into law by the governor. Education bills passed into law are incorporated into the Texas Education Code. Bills impacting Career and Technical Education are found in other parts of the Texas government code as well, because the focus of the law is more on industry or workforce issues rather than public education.

 

State Board of Education

The State Board of Education (SBOE) and the Commissioner of Education have the authority to adopt rules and establish policies to further clarify State laws regarding the Texas public education system. These rules are found in the Texas Administrative Code.

The SBOE is a 15-member elected body.  It serves as the State Board for Career and Technical Education and is responsible for CTE and the administration of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006.

 

Texas Education Agency

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the state's administrative unit for primary and secondary public education. It is headed by the Commissioner of Education who is appointed by the governor. TEA is the designated agency for the management and disbursement of Perkins funding for CTE.

Together, the State Board of Education, the Commissioner of Education, and the TEA staff provide leadership, guidance, and resources to help meet the educational needs of all Texas students.

 

State Board for Educator Certification

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) was created by the Texas Legislature in 1995 to recognize public school educators as professionals and give them authority to govern the standards of their profession. SBEC oversees all aspects of the preparation, certification and standards of conduct of public school educators.

 

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) provides leadership and coordination for the Texas higher education system. THECB receives Perkins funding to support postsecondary career and technical education programs. The State Board of Education determines the funding split between TEA and THECB based on an analysis of program data and other quantitative information. The SBEC currently allocates 70 percent of Perkins funding toward secondary education and 30 percent to postsecondary education.

 

School Districts

School boards are locally elected trustees responsible for interpreting and implementing education laws and rules for their district. The board of trustees of a school district, or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter school, has primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with all requirements of state educational programs. School boards may adopt rules, such as local policies and procedures, and bylaws necessary to carry out the powers and duties of the local education agency.

Local Education Agency (LEA) can refer to a public school district, or, in rural areas, a body that oversees multiple schools. The responsibilities of a LEA may include operating the public school system, distributing grant money to school projects, and contracting for educational services. The LEA system is important because it allows each community to have an agency that responds to the local educational issues of that community.

In Texas there are 1,235 school districts and charter schools, more than 8,400 campuses, more than 330,000 teachers, and 70,000 other professional staff members such as principals, counselors, and administrators.

 

Local Schools

Legislators, state boards, public agencies, and school boards all play important roles in creating, interpreting, and implementing CTE rules and policies. However, the most important layer in the organizational structure of CTE is its foundation - the local schools. It is here that teachers, counselors, and school administrators directly impact the lives of 4.8 million school children in Texas each day.

Importance of Knowing the Law

A basic understanding of the laws and rules impacting career and technical education

activities and students enables administrators, counselors, and teachers to implement career and technical education programs more effectively.

 

 

Texas Education Code

As you learned in the previous section, the Texas Education Code (TEC) is created and passed into law by the legislature and governor. You can look up the Texas Education Code online at the Texas Constitution and Statutes website. Title 2 addresses Public Education (see figure below). Here you can find laws designed to direct and guide the public school system.

Figure 2.2.1: Texas Education Code, Title 2: Public Education is listed under Texas Statutes

 

Texas Administrative Code

The rules adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE) and the Commissioner of Education to clarify State laws are published in the Texas Administrative Code (TAC). The TAC contains all the rules created by State agencies. There are sixteen titles in the Texas Administrative Code (see figure below). Each title represents a subject category. Related agencies are assigned to the appropriate title. Rules related to education are found in Title 19, EDUCATION.

 

Texas Administrative Code

The rules adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE) and the Commissioner of Education to clarify State laws are published in the Texas Administrative Code (TAC). The TAC contains all the rules created by State agencies. There are sixteen titles in the Texas Administrative Code (see figure below). Each title represents a subject category. Related agencies are assigned to the appropriate title. Rules related to education are found in Title 19, EDUCATION.

Figure 2.2.2: View of Texas Administrative Code Titles

TAC, Title 19, Part II is assigned to the Texas Education Agency. It contains rules created and passed by the State Board of Education or Commissioner of Education. This is where you can find rules on curriculum, assessments, budgeting, and the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

TAC, Title 19, Part VII is assigned to the State Board for Educator Certification. It contains rules related to educator preparation, certification, discipline, and ethics.

Figure 2.2.3: Parts II and VII are highlighted in red on view of Title 19 of the Texas Administrative Code

 

Federal and State Employment Laws

Laws and regulations regarding employment and the workplace can directly impact

CTE programs and students, particularly when a student is involved in work-based learning or a career practicum. Anyone overseeing Career Preparation courses or other types of work-based learning should obtain additional professional development and guidance on applicable employment and workplace laws, such as those found in the regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

 

Ethics and Liability Issues

The applied nature of career and technical education creates potential risks and

liabilities that might not be present in a strictly academic classroom setting. You will learn more about specific ethics and liability issues related to implementing CTE programs in Lesson 7.

State Plan for CTE

States receiving Perkins funds are required to develop, submit, and implement a six-year plan specifying how their state will achieve the objectives of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006. In Texas, a series of stakeholder meetings were held prior to the development of the State CTE Plan. Input from the meetings was used to identify and develop the procedures and activities to support improvement of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs at both the secondary and post-secondary levels.

Updates to the Texas State CTE Plan are made and submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Education each year. The Texas State Plan for CTE and its updates provide a useful overview of the State's CTE priorities, activities, and results. The TEA also prepares and submits a Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) each year which highlights how Perkins funds were used.

 

CTE and the Texas Education Agency

The State Board of Education has delegated day-to-day oversight and administration of Perkins funds and Career and Technical Education to the Texas Education Agency. As the administrative unit for primary and secondary public education in Texas, the Texas Education Agency:

• manages the textbook adoption process;
• oversees development of the statewide curriculum;
• administers the statewide assessment program;
• administers a data collection system on public school students, staff, and finances;
• rates school districts under the statewide accountability system;
• operates research and information programs;
• monitors for compliance with federal guidelines; and
• serves as a fiscal agent for the distribution of state and federal funds.

At TEA, oversight of CTE programs is assigned to the Career and Technical Education Team in the Department of College, Career, and Military Preparation. The CTE team provides direction and leadership for statewide CTE initiatives.  CTE staff assists districts statewide with implementation of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for CTE, collaborates with various professional organizations about CTE programs, and assists the Instructional Materials Division in overseeing the textbook adoption process for CTE instructional materials.  The CTE team also provides ongoing communication with the field related to the curriculum and graduation requirements in 19 TAC Chapter 74. 

The Career and Technical Education staff members work directly with school districts, educational service centers, colleges, universities, professional organizations, student organizations, and individuals across the state to ensure Texas has the highest quality CTE programs possible. They do this by helping others to understand and implement CTE rules and policies. Each CTE program director supports multiple Career Clusters related to his or her areas of expertise. CTE staff members also oversee the implementation of CTE projects designed to enhance career and technical education statewide. In addition, they assist TEA's Grant Department with negotiating, evaluating, and monitoring CTE grants, including Perkins allocations.

To accomplish the objectives of its State plan for CTE, TEA awards grants and contracts to eligible entities to carry out special projects to support the effective implementation of CTE statewide. These projects include:

CTE Professional Development

To develop, coordinate, and conduct sustainable, intensive professional development for CTE administrators, counselors, and teachers.

Advanced Technical Credit
To support effective secondary and postsecondary partnerships in providing seamless, non-duplicative career and technical education by screening and documenting the training credentials of secondary advanced technical credit teachers.

Project Lead the Way

To provide the required professional development for teachers, counselor training, technical support, and resources to districts that desire to implement pre-engineering programs.

Career and Technical Student Organizations Leadership
To develop student leadership, personal growth, and career success through a well-rounded practical approach to learning.

You will learn more about how to access and use the resources made available through these grants in Lessons 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Regional education service centers (ESCs) are valuable resources for CTE

information and training. ESCs provide administrators, teachers, support staff, and students with professional development and services designed for improving both workplace excellence and student achievement.

Twenty regional education service centers were established by the Texas State Legislature in 1967 for the purpose of providing services to the school districts within defined geographic regions. Today, technology enables individuals to access online ESC resources statewide. Each ESC has a Career and Technical Education Specialist that works with the districts, schools, administrators, and teachers in their region. You can locate the ESC and CTE Specialist that serves your region through the TEA website. You also can browse the websites of other ESCs for additional CTE information and resources.