2015
Texas Legislative
An In-Depth
Look on theSession:
andon
Future
TheStatus
Impact
TexasofChildren
Texas’ Children
th
August 18 , 2015
WELCOME
Welcoming Remarks
Robert Sanborn, Ed D,
President and Chief Executive Officer,
CHILDREN AT RISK
th
84
Legislative Session
Understanding the Impact on Children
Mandi Sheridan Kimball
Director, Public Policy and Government Affairs
CHILDREN AT RISK
Welcome
84th Texas Session:
Understanding the Impact on Children
Major Issues
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Public Education
Human Trafficking
Health
Food Security
Child Welfare
Juvenile Justice
Parenting
Public Education
More than half (58.5%) of Texas public school students
are economically disadvantaged.
SUCCESS IN EDUCATION
• Issues
• Early childhood education
• Public school accountability measures and
transparency
• Local Flexibility
• Truancy
• Curriculum
• Teacher quality
Passed Legislation
There are over
200,000 students
enrolled in Texas
pre-kindergarten
program.
Early Childhood Education
HB 4 (Huberty et. al)
Creates a grant program ($130 million)
to implement high quality standards
for pre-kindergarten education
Passed Legislation
Performance and Accountability
HB 2804
(Aycock/Taylor)
HB 1842
(Aycock/Taylor)
• Changes how the state rates
public schools and
implements an A-F grading
system
• Imposes interventions and
sanctions for schools that
underperform for two years
as well as establishes
innovation zones
Missed Opportunities
SB 296 (Taylor/Van)
& HB 1067 (Koop)
HB 1100
• An effort to expand
learning
opportunities for
students across the
state by creating a
longer school year or
longer school day
• Would have
provided full-day
prekindergarten
programs by
school districts
(Johnson)
Human Trafficking
Texas ranks No. 2 for number of calls placed to report human
trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center
hotline.
Passed Legislation
HB 188
(Thompson/Menendez)
• Adds demand to the duties
of the Human Trafficking
Prevention Task Force
SB 825
(Huffman/Thompson)
• Creates a distinction between
buyers and sellers of
commercial sex
Passed Legislation
HB 968
(Hernandez/
Garcia
Pierces the
corporate veil
HB 2511
(Thompson
Creates the Human
Trafficking Business
Partnership
program in the
Secretary of State
Office
Passed Legislation
Child Safety
• Retracts the
requirement for
shelters that
house human
trafficking victims
to have a public
hearing and
notification
• Allows law
enforcement and
CPS to immediately
take suspected
victims into
protective custody
rather than
arresting the victim
• Adds potential
trafficking
information of
missing and
runaway child
to DFPS reports
HB
2070
HB
418
HB
1217
(Thompson
/Rodriguez
(Wu/
Huffman)
(Thompson
/Uresti)
Passed Legislation
Prevention and Protections
• Omnibus bill: Creates a Child Sex Trafficking
Prevention Unit in the Governor’s Criminal Justice
HB 10
Division to address sex trafficking of children
(Thompson/
Huffman)
HB 2290
(Parker/
Huffman)
• Establishes January as Human Trafficking
Prevention Month in Texas
Missed Opportunities
HB
2360
(Thompson)
• Requires boarding
schools to uphold
DFPS minimum
standards that
apply to shelters
providing services
to victims of
human trafficking
Health
40% of Texas children have a parent with no health insurance.
Access
To Care
Mental
Health
Immunization
Food Security
1.9 million children in Texas wake up each morning
unsure if they will eat a meal before bed that night.
Passed Legislation
SB 200
Nelson et al/Price et al
In Texas, nearly
70% of individuals
receiving SNAP
benefits are
children or adults
living with
children.
HUGE Omnibus
regarding HHS and
DFPS…bill modified
the lifetime ban on
SNAP benefits for
those with a felony
drug conviction.
Passed Legislation
Food in Schools
HB
3562
HB
1305
(Thompson)
(Bonnen)
Requires school
districts to allow
a grace period
after school
meal card was
exhausted or
insufficient
More than 60%
of students
qualify for the
National School
Food Program
Allows school
districts to opt out
of the National
School Breakfast
Program (NSBP)
and instead
implement a locally
funded program
Missed Opportunity
HB 3894 (Rodriguez)
Would have established the Hunger Free Schools
Award Program to honor and reward school
districts who take actions to reduce the impact of
hunger in their community
Missed Opportunity
Food Security
Almost 4
million Texans
live in a
community
under-served
by food outlets
HB 1485 (Rodriguez)
• Would have established the Grocery Access
Investment Fund to support development
of new grocery stores and renovation of
existing food markets in low income areas
Parenting
22% of Texas children live in a home where the head-ofhouse is not a high school graduate.
How many parents have access to
evidence-based parenting in San
Antonio? This is unknown. Less than 2%
have access in Houston and Dallas.
Parenting
HB 2630 HB 2550 HB 2233
(Thompson/Uresti)
(Thompson)
(Thompson)
PASSED
MISSED
MISSED
Allocates 75% of
the state’s parent
education funds
to evidence-based
programs and
25% to promising
practices
Would have
established a
statewide
taskforce on
parenting
Would have
established a
community
evidence-based
parenting pilot
program
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile violent crime arrests in Texas have
been steadily decreasing since 2008.
Passed Legislation
Records and Confidentiality
HB 263
SB 409
(Miles/Guillen)
(Rodriguez/White)
Requires the court to
seal the juvenile
records if their
conduct was not a
“crime of moral
turpitude
Limits the
dissemination of
confidential
information (finger
printing)
concerning
juveniles
Passed Legislation
Misdemeanors by Children
HB 642 (Canales/Hinojosa)
• Expands alcohol awareness programs
for alcohol-related offenses to
include drug education programs for
drug-related offenses
Next Steps
• Interim charges
• Conversations with partners
• Meet with state agencies and public
officials
Thank you!
Mandi Kimball
Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs
mkimball@childrenatrisk.org
2015 Texas Legislative
Session: The Impact on
Texas Children
Kathryn Freeman
Director of Public Policy
Christian Life Commission
84th Legislative Session Update:
Education
Kathryn Freeman
Christian Life Director of Public Policy
Commission
Roadmap
•
•
•
•
•
•
Overview: Public Education Facts
Pre-K
School Accountability
School Funding
Vouchers
Q&A
Public Education in Texas
• Between a 10 year period from the 2003-2004
school year to the 2013-2014 school year:
▫ Texas public school enrollment has risen by 19
percent.
▫ The percentage of students identified as
economically disadvantaged rose to 60.1 percent
of all students.
▫ The percentage of students receiving bilingual or
English as a second language instructional
services increased rose to 17.1 percent
Pre-K
• HB 4
• Establishes the high-quality pre-K grant program
envisioned by Governor Abbott
• Funded at $118 million starting in the second year
of the biennium
• Provides school districts with up to $1,500 per
student
Pre-K
• Pre-K programs must meet new standards to receive
grant:
• Teachers must have Child Development Associate
Certification or equivalent
• Districts must use a curriculum based on the state’s pre-K
guidelines
• Development of a parent engagement plan
• Must collect and report pre-K data
• Includes a non-binding recommendation for districts
to meet class size and student-teacher ratio
standards
Pre-K
• TEA requirements will occur between August to
Spring 2016
• Grant applications are expected to be posted in
Spring 2016 with funding made available in Summer
2016 for use by districts in the 2016-2017 school
year.
• Additional funding will be made available in Fall
2016 to support 2016-2017 implementation.
School Accountability
• HB 2804
▫ A-F School ratings
 35 percent of a school's grade would be determined
by measures like completion and dropout rates, and
by how many students take AP and international
baccalaureate classes.
 10 percent would be based on how well the school
engages with its community.
 55 percent on state test scores with a particular
emphasis on closing the gap between the top- and
bottom-performing students.
School Accountability
• HB 2804
▫ A-F School ratings
 10 percent would be based on how well the school
engages with its community.
 35 percent of a school's grade would be determined
by measures like completion and dropout rates, and
by how many students take AP and international
baccalaureate classes.
 55 percent on state test scores with a particular
emphasis on closing the gap between the top- and
bottom-performing students.
39
HB 2804
Domain 5
Student Assessment
Community
55%
Engagement
Domain 1
STAAR/EOC
STAAR Alt. 2
Satisfactory
STAAR/EOC
College
Ready
3
Domain 2
DomainDomain
4 : Academic
Attainment (attendance,
dropout/grad rates, etc.)
STAAR
Reductions
Improvemen
in
t
academic
Satisfactory
differential
Level
Domain 1 : Standards at satisfactory &
s among
college ready levels on STAAR
student
Doman
2: Progress/Improvement
toward
STAAR
meeting levels
on STAAR
groups
Improvemen
Domain
3: Closing achievement gaps on
t
STAAR
College
Ready
CaSE
10%
Domain
5
Three
categorie
s
(district
/school
choice)
School Accountability
• HB 1842
▫ Requires any school that has received a failing
grade for two straight years to create an
improvement plan (include parent and educator
input) to take effect by the third year.
▫ If the school has not improved by the end of the
fifth year, the commissioner of education would
have to order the school's closure or assign an
emergency board of managers to oversee the
school district.
▫ Allows for creation of innovation districts
School Finance
• For the 2016-17 biennium, public education saw
enrollment growth funded and additional $1.5B
in the Foundation School Program (FSP) over
current law which includes:
▫ $200M from HB 7 addressing fractional funding;
▫ $55.5M for the Instructional Facilities Allotment to
provide tax relief for property-poor districts
▫ $47.5M for the New Instructional Facilities Allotment
to provide start-up funds for new district and charter
school campuses.
School Finance
Texas Supreme Court Update
• Lawyers filed briefs this month
• Oral arguments slated for September 1.
• Ruling expected in spring (maybe summer) 2016
• If plaintiffs prevail, possible special session in
summer of 2016, or could wait for 2017
(Governor Abbott said no special sessions)
Vouchers
• Included SB 4, SB 276, SB 642, SB 1178
▫ Provide a tax credit, tax incentive, or
reimbursement to defray or fund the cost of
private education.
▫ SB 4 passed the Senate, but died in the House.
 SB 4 provided a business tax credit for donating to
an non-profit agency that awards K-12 scholarships .
 Up to 50 percent off franchise tax bill
What’s Next?
• Legislative Personnel Changes
Chairman Aycock retires
• Interim Charges
▫ HB 4 Implementation
▫ School accountability
Resources
• Texans Care for Children
▫ http://texanscareforchildren.org/
• Children At Risk
▫ http://childrenatrisk.org/
• Raise Your Hand Texas
▫ www.raiseyourhandtexas.org
• Coalition for Public Schools
▫ www.coalitionforpublicschools.org
• Texas Education Agency
▫ http://tea.texas.gov/
• Questions?
• Contact:
▫ Kathryn.freeman@texasbaptists.org
▫ 512-473-2288
2015 Texas Legislative
Session: The Impact on
Texas Children
Steve Love
President and CEO
Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council
W. Stephen Love
President and Chief Executive Officer
Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council
August 18, 2015
49

COMMUNITY NEED
Inpatient Capacity
Crisis Services Alternatives
Outpatient Capacity/ LMHA
Equity for Adults and Children
TOTAL
Substance Use Disorder
Prevention/Intervention/
Treatment

FY 2016-17
$50,000,00
$31,300,000
$46,486,001
$127,786,001
$ 9,485,503
100 WORKFORCE $2.1 MILLION TEXAS
HIGHER EDUCATION
50

SB 97 – E-CIGARETTES

HB 2171 – CONSENT ON
RECORDS TO AGE 26

HB 3433 – ADD 2 ADDITIONAL
RURAL TO PERINATAL ADVISORY
COUNCIL
51

HB 2082 – TELEMEDICINE PROGRAM
FOR CHILDREN – CHRONIC NEEDS

SB 1886 – SENATE VERSION HB 2082

HB 308 – HANDGUNS IN HOSPITALS

SB 311

HB 695
52
W. Stephen Love
President and Chief Executive Officer
Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council
August 18, 2015
2015 Texas Legislative
Session: The Impact on
Texas Children
Dimple Patel
Senior Policy Analust
TexProtects
HOME VISITING AND
PREVENTION FUNDING AND LEGISLATION
84TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Dimple Patel
Senior Policy Analyst
WHY TEXAS NEEDS TO
INVEST IN PREVENTION
Texas Ranks:
Sources: The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2015). The 2015 Kids Count Data Book.
57
LIFETIME COSTS OF MALTREATMENT IN TEXAS
$14 BILLION
$16
$14
$12
TX lifetime cost from one year of child maltreatment
Fatal victims medical costs
$14 Billion
$2.8 million
Fatal victims productivity losses
$25.7 million
Survivors special education costs
Billions
$530.2 million
$10
$8
Survivors criminal justice costs
$447. 2 million
Survivors child welfare costs
$6
$512. 2 million
Survivors long-term healthcare costs
$4
$697. 9 million
Survivors short-term healthcare costs
$2
$2.2 billion
Survivors productivity losses
$0
$9.6 billion
All from Centers of Disease Control 2012 (Fang, Brown, Florence, and Mercy study)
58
PREVENTION INVESTMENT
Prevention Early Intervention
NFP & THVP
MIECHV
$200
$184.82
$180
$160
$146.25
MILLIONS
$140
$109.60
$120
$100
$31.80
$91.80
$80
$83.90
$96.00
$17.80
$8.90
$100.85
$36.00
$31.00
$25.65
$21.20
$60.00
$17.75
$60
$117.8
$87.1
$40
$91.8
$88.8
$61.9
$20
$0
2002-2003
2004-2005
2006-2007
2008-2009
2010-2011
BIENNIUM
2012-2013
2014-2015
2016-2017
59
HOME VISITING AND PREVENTION FUNDING
IN THE 84TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION
2016-2017
Nurse-Family Partnership and Texas Home
Visiting Program
$67.1 million
Abusive Head Trauma Prevention
Up to $5.5 million
Healthy Outcomes through Prevention and $29.1 million
Early Support (HOPES) Project
Services to Military Families
$3.2 million
Community Based Purchased Services
$5 million
Data matching and PEI databases
$4.6 million
60
DFPS Project HOPES –Healthy Outcomes
through Prevention and Early Support
$29.1 million in funding for at-risk prevention programs for child abuse and
neglect prevention in accordance with a comprehensive plan that include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Evidence-based or promising practices programs only
Community-based programs located throughout the state
Performance measures that gauge program effectiveness.
Target most at-risk areas of the state; and
Families with children ages 0-5.
Public private collaboration that enhances state resources to reach
more children, youth, and families.
61
PREVENTION SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Health and Human Services (HHSC) Commission Sunset
SB 200 Sen. Nelson (Sen. Uresti) / Rep. Price
•
Consolidates the Department of Aging and Disability Services and the
Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services under HHSC. The
Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and the Department of
State Health Services will remain as stand alone agencies.
•
Improves the coordination of prevention services that focus on improving the
well-being of children related to child abuse and neglect, health, behavioral,
education and other co-occurring social issues by requiring the consolidation
of prevention programs into one division at DFPS by the end of fiscal year
2016.
•
Home Visiting Programs within HHSC will be transferred to the Prevention
and Early Intervention division within DFPS.
62
PREVENTION SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Social Impact Financing
TexProtects
HB 3014 Rep. Tan Parker / Sponsor Sen. Royce West
 Provides the framework, roles and responsibilities for the state to
enter into a “Pay for Success” (PFS) contract.
 PFS helps bring evidence based prevention programs to scale and
allows investors to accept the “risk” of the investment. The private
equity investors capital is invested and the government only pays
back the investors with pre-determined return on investment %
after the intervention meets goals and saves the state funding.
63
CHILD PROTECTION LEGISLATION AND
CPS BUDGET
84TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Dimple Patel
Senior Policy Analyst
CPS CASEWORKER TURNOVER
40
35
Percent Turnover
30
25
20
15
30.1
25.3
33.5
32.3
31.7
28.9
27.3
25.4
25.5
22.5
22.7
23.7
22.9
16.8
17.3
20.1
14.4
14.6
10
5
32.3
17.6
33.8
31.2
23
26.3
22.6
17.5
21.1
9.7
5.9
6
5.6
2010
2011
6.6
8.3
6.3
0
2009
INV
FBSS
2012
CVS
Supervisors
2013
2014
2015
All State Employees
Rider 11 – Human Resources Management Plan, April 1, 2014
State Auditor Office – Annual Report on Classified Employee Turnover for Fiscal Year 2014, December 2014
65
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES FUNDING IN
THE 84TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Increased Pay for CPS Caseworkers
• Non-competitive pay is among several reasons that CPS has
high employee turnover, costing the state more than $72
million in 2013 alone.
• Cost-of-living adjustment up to $1,200 per month for workers
living in high cost areas where there is excessive turnover.
• Additional $16.6 million for overtime pay for caseworkers
and to provide merit pay to 25% of caseworkers at $1,250
every 6 months.
66
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES FUNDING IN
THE 84TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Direct Delivery Staff Investments
• Additional $27.4 million for CPS direct delivery staff, including
164.8 full time equivalents (FTEs) and 254.8 FTEs in 2016-2017
respectively.
• Includes Investigative, Family Based Safety Services and
Conservatorship caseworkers, Interregional Specialists, Parent
Child Safety Placement staff and administrative support for
investigation units in rural counties.
• Maintains caseloads for Investigative, Family Based Safety Services
and Kinship caseworkers and Foster/Adoptive specialists in FY 2017
and allows increased targeted support for certain caseworkers
throughout the biennium.
67
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Department of Family and Protective Services Sunset
SB 206 by Schwertner / Sponsor Burkett
• Addresses key goals of CPS Transformation. It allows
caseworkers to spend more time with children and families
and improves the safety, permanency, and well-being of
children in CPS cases.
• Reduces unnecessary administrative tasks and paperwork,
reduces workload where possible, and provides DFPS with
the flexibility to make its processes more efficient and adapt
to changing best practices.
68
CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT RELATED
DEATHS IN TEXAS
•
280
227223
213
204
203
201
195
184
171
156
135
227231
212
156151
103
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
Texas leads the U.S.
300
in total child
fatalities, many who 250
die at the hands of
200
their caregivers. In
150
2014, 151 Texas
children died due to 100
abuse and neglect, 7
50
of whom were in
foster care at the time 0
of their death.*
DFPS Notes: Child fatalities in foster care may be the result of injuries inflicted prior to the child’s
entry into foster care and are not necessarily a reflection on the current caretaker.
69
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Child Fatality Data Reporting
CPRT/TexProtects
SB 949 by Uresti / Sponsor Naishtat
•
Requires DFPS to produce an annual report of all child
fatalities investigated by DFPS by their investigative
dispositions and as they occur in real time.
• This data will provide a better understanding of both abusive
and non-abusive fatalities occurring in Texas and inform CPS
staffing structure and prevention investment.
70
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Caregiver Screening and Training
HB 781 by Burkett / Sponsor Perry
CPRT
• Requires DFPS to determine and evaluate the training and
assessments used for potential foster parents by ensuring child placing
agencies utilize risk assessments and authorized training curriculums
for staff.
• Mandates that each caregiver receive a minimum of 35 hours of
training.
• Allows DFPS to monitor child placing agencies for efficacy, outcomes,
financial accounting, records and services.
71
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Assessments for Children in Foster care
SB 125 by West / Sponsor Naishtat
CPRT
• Requires a child to have a comprehensive assessment no later
than 45 days after coming into care.
• The assessment must include a trauma screening and interviews
with individuals knowledgeable of or familiar with the child.
72
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Colton’s Law: DPS & DFPS Coordination
CPRT/TexProtects
HB 2053 by Farney / Sponsor Schwertner
• Addresses problems in the system revealed by the death last year
of Colton Turner.
• Increases information and coordination between DFPS and the
Department of Public Safety when an at-risk child is missing.
• Allows for temporary detention of the child and related adults
under certain circumstances.
73
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Improvements for Foster Children
CPRT
Educational Supports HB 3748 by Farney/Sponsor West
Strengthens educational supports for current and former foster youth by
designating a liaison at higher education institutions for these students.
Enables the state to study long term trends regarding foster youth in higher
education
Independent Ombudsman SB 830 by Kolkhorst/Sponsor Dutton
Ensures there is an independent ombudsman’s office outside of DFPS to
which foster youth and families can report for objective investigations into
complaints. Requires the ombudsman to regularly report performance data.
74
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES
LEGISLATION
Improvements for Foster Children (continued)
Normalcy SB 1407 by Schwertner/Sponsor Dukes
•
Strengthens rights of children in foster care to participate in normal
activities and experiences.
•
Empowers substitute caregivers to approve or disapprove a child’s
participation in activities based on a caregiver’s own assessment and
availability.
•
Helps facilitate a child’s access to these activities using a reasonable and
prudent parent standard.
75
CONTACT US
Dimple Patel
Senior Public Policy Analyst
TexProtects
The Texas Association for the Protection of Children
dimple@texprotects.org
214-442-1672
76
2015 Texas Legislative
Session: The Impact on
Texas Children
Dr. Wayne Carson
CEO
ACH Child and Family Services
2015 Texas Legislative
Session: The Impact on
Texas Children
Jason Sabo
Founder
Frontera Strategy
Jason Sabo
Frontera Strategy
sabo@fronterastrategy.com
512.450.2125
@texassabo
Oil! Taxes! Border! Roads! Guns!
We elected them.
We wrote state budget.
We made laws.
It’s all our fault/glory.
The Six States of Texas
Where are they now?
Texas House:
Still Really Conservative
Texas Senate:
Really Conservative to
REALLY Conservative
Governor Greg Abbott’s
Emergency Priorities
 Border Security
 Early Childhood Education
 Higher Education
 Transportation
 And… Well…
Nevermind… Ethics
Future direction clearly laid out at
www.texasblueprint.com.
Four Key Themes of
2015 Texas Legislature
 Tax Cuts – How will YOU spend your $126?
You’d better think fast…
 “Local Control” – Ban on Denton Fracking
Ban, High Speed Rail, Plastic Bag Ban Ban
 Guns – Open Carry, Campus Carry,
Anywhere Carry, Everybody Carry
 Border Security - $800 million investment in
making sure YOU get more speeding tickets.
The $64 Dollar Question
Where does Texas get its
money?
How does Texas spend
General Revenue money?
How to Win:
5 Rules for Effective Advocacy
1.

2.

3.

4.

Focus on 1 or 2 issues.
What do you care the very most about?
Have politically powerful data.
What’s the most compelling data?
Recruit unexpected messengers.
Who will be believed?
Maximize the political process.
How will you use the legislative interim?
Prepare for implementation.
5.

Who has to implement your brilliant plan?
What did he just say?
Jason Sabo
Frontera Strategy
sabo@fronterastrategy.com
512.450.2125
@texassabo
2015
Texas Legislative
An In-Depth
Look on theSession:
andon
Future
TheStatus
Impact
TexasofChildren
Texas’ Children
th
August 18 , 2015
Thank You