Sec. 61.076.  P-16 COUNCIL.  (a)  It is the policy of the State of Texas that the entire system of education supported with public funds be coordinated to provide the citizens with efficient, effective, and high quality educational services and activities.  The P-16 Council, in conjunction with other agencies as may be appropriate, shall ensure that long-range plans and educational programs for the state complement the functioning of the entire system of public education, extending from early childhood education through postgraduate study. 
(b)  The P-16 Council is composed of the commissioner of education, the commissioner of higher education, the executive director of the Texas Workforce Commission, the executive director of the State Board for Educator Certification, and the commissioner of assistive and rehabilitative services.  The commissioner of higher education and the commissioner of education shall serve as co-chairs of the council.
(c)  The co-chairs may appoint six additional members who are education professionals, agency representatives, business representatives, or other members of the community.  Members appointed to the council under this subsection serve two-year terms expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year.
(d)  The council shall meet at least once each calendar quarter and may hold other meetings as necessary at the call of the co-chairs. Each member of the council or the member's designee shall make a report of the council's activities at least twice annually to the governing body of the member's agency, except that the commissioner of education or that commissioner's designee shall report to the State Board of Education and the commissioner of assistive and rehabilitative services or that commissioner's designee shall report to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.
(e)  The council shall coordinate plans and programs, including curricula, instructional programs, research, and other functions as appropriate.  This coordination shall include the following areas:
(1)  equal educational opportunity for all Texans;
(2)  college recruitment, with special emphasis on the recruitment of minority students;
(3)  preparation of high school students for further study at colleges and universities;
(4)  reduction of the dropout rate and dropout prevention;
(5)  teacher education, recruitment, and retention;
(6)  testing and assessment; and
(7)  adult education programs.
(f)  The council shall examine and make recommendations regarding the alignment of secondary and postsecondary education curricula and testing and assessment.  This subsection does not require the council to establish curriculum or testing or assessment standards.
(g)  The council shall advise the board and the State Board of Education on the coordination of postsecondary career and technology activities, career and technology teacher education programs offered or proposed to be offered in the colleges and universities of this state, and other relevant matters, including:
(1)  coordinating postsecondary career and technology education and the articulation between postsecondary career and technology education and secondary career and technology education;
(2)  facilitating the transfer of responsibilities for the administration of postsecondary career and technology education from the State Board of Education to the board in accordance with Section 111(a)(I) of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act (Pub. L. No. 98-524);
(3)  advising the State Board of Education, when it acts as the State Board for Career and Technology Education, on the following:
(A)  the transfer of federal funds to the board for allotment to eligible public postsecondary institutions of higher education;
(B)  the career and technology education funding for projects and institutions as determined by the board when the State Board for Career and Technology Education is required by federal law to endorse those determinations;
(C)  the development and updating of the state plan for career and technology education and the evaluation of programs, services, and activities of postsecondary career and technology education and amendments to the state plan for career and technology education as may relate to postsecondary education;
(D)  other matters related to postsecondary career and technology education; and
(E)  the coordination of curricula, instructional programs, research, and other functions as appropriate, including school-to-work and school-to-college transition programs and professional development activities; and
(4)  advising the Texas Workforce Investment Council on educational policy issues related to workforce preparation.
(h)  The council, in conjunction with the State Center for Early Childhood Development, shall develop and adopt a school readiness certification system as required by Section 29.161.
(i)  Expired.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1084, Sec. 1.21, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 820, Sec. 16, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1140 (H.B. 2808), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167), Sec. 4.010, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (H.B. 2909), Sec. 3, eff. June 17, 2011.