Each Trustee must complete any training required by the State Board of Education. Education Code 11.159
Continuing education for Board members includes orientation sessions, an annual team building session with the Board and the Superintendent, and specified hours of continuing education based on identified needs.
All Board members shall receive a local TSBVI orientation and an orientation to the Texas Education Code.
New Board members shall participate in a local orientation session within 60 days before or after their election or appointment. The purpose of this orientation is to familiarize new Board members with local Board policies and procedures and TSBVI goals and priorities.
All newly appointed Board members shall receive the orientation to the Texas Education Code within the first year of service. The orientation shall be delivered by regional education service centers and shall be three hours in length.
All sitting Board members shall receive a basic orientation to the Texas Education Code and relevant legal obligations. The orientation will have special but not exclusive emphasis on statutory provisions related to the School's governance and governance of school districts. The orientation shall be delivered by regional education service centers and shall be three hours in length. Topics shall include, but not be limited to, Texas Education Code, Chapter 26 (Parental Rights and Responsibilities), and Texas Education Code, Section 28.004 (Local School Health Education Advisory Council and Health Education Instruction). [See BDF, EHAA, and FNG]
After each session of the Texas legislature, each Board member shall receive an updated session from a regional education service center or any registered provider to the basic orientation to the Texas Education Code. The update session shall be of sufficient length to familiarize Board members with major changes in the Education Code and other relevant legal developments related to school governance. A Board member who has attended a basic orientation session given by a service center
that incorporates the most recent legislative changes is not required to attend an additional legislative update.
The entire Board, including all Board members, shall annually participate with the Superintendent in a team building session facilitated by the regional education service center or any registered provider. The team building session shall be of a length deemed appropriate by the Board, but generally at least three hours. The purpose of the team building session is to enhance the effectiveness of the Board-Superintendent team and to assess the continuing education needs of the Board-Superintendent team. The assessment of needs shall be based on the framework for governance leadership and shall be used to plan continuing education activities for the governance leadership team for the upcoming year.
In addition to the orientation and team building training, all Board members shall receive additional continuing education on an annual basis, in fulfillment of assessed needs and based on the framework for governance leadership. [See BBD-E] The continuing education sessions may be provided by the regional education service centers or other registered providers.
To the extent possible, the entire Board shall participate in continuing education programs together.
In their first year of service, Board members shall receive at least ten hours of continuing education annually in fulfillment of assessed needs. Board members may fulfill the five hours of continuing education through online instruction provided that the training is designed and offered by a registered provider, incorporates interactive activities that assess learning and provide feedback to the learner, and offers an opportunity for interaction with the instructor.
Following the first year of service, Board members shall receive at least five hours of continuing education annually in fulfillment of assessed needs. Board members may fulfill the five hours of continuing education through online instruction provided that the training is designed and offered by a registered provider, incorporates interactive activities that assess learning and provide feedback to the learner, and offers an opportunity for interaction with the instructor.
The Board President shall receive continuing education related to leadership duties of a Board president as some portion of the annual requirement.
At least 50 percent of the annual continuing education shall be designed and delivered by persons not employed or affiliated with the School. No more than one hour of the required continuing education that is delivered by the local district may use self instructional materials.
Within 90 days of taking the oath of office, each board member shall complete a course of training regarding the responsibilities of the board and its members under Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code. The office of the attorney general may provide the training and may also approve other acceptable sources of training.
Board members sworn in before January 1, 2006, must complete the training required by Government Code 551.005 before January 1, 2007.
Gov't Code 551.005
Within 90 days of taking the oath of office or assuming duties as a public official, each board member and public information coordinator shall complete a course of training regarding the responsibilities of the School and school officers and employees under Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code. The office of the attorney general may provide the training and may also approve other acceptable sources of training.
The Board delegates to the Superintendent the responsibility to ensure that the TSBVI official in charge of coordinating public information satisfy the training requirements of Government Code 552.012 for the board member.
The School official designated by the Superintendent to coordinate public information must complete the training required by Government Code 552.012 before January 1, 2007.
Gov't Code 552.012
Annually, at the January meeting of the Board, the President shall announce the name of each Board member who has completed the required continuing education, who has exceeded the required hours of continuing education, and who is deficient in the required continuing education. The President shall cause the minutes to reflect the information and shall make this information available to the local media.
No continuing education shall take place during a Board meeting unless that meeting is called for the delivery of Board training. Continuing education may take place prior to or after a legally called Board meeting in accordance with the Government Code.
19 TAC 61.1
Board members may attend regional, state, or national conventions or workshops without such gatherings being construed as "meetings" under the Open Meetings Act. However, no formal action shall be taken at such conventions or workshops concerning School business, and any discussion of public business shall be merely incidental to the convention or workshop. Gov't Code 551.001(4)
Annually, the State Board shall commend those Board-Superintendent teams that receive at least eight hours of the continuing education in the local orientation and team-building sessions as an entire Board-Superintendent team. 19 TAC 61.1
Adopted: 9/15/88
Amended: 9/27/90, 9/27/91, 3/27/92, 3/25/94, 3/21/97, 11/19/04, 9/22/06
Reviewed: 11/3/92, 1/31/03