87R4680 KJE-D

By: Guerra H.B. No. 1744

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to measures to prepare students to teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 29.1831 to read as follows:

Sec. 29.1831. PROGRAM OF STUDY IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, AND SPANISH. (a) The agency shall develop a program of study for use in career and technology education programs that prepares and assists students in pursuing a career teaching:

(1) bilingual education;

(2) English as a second language; or

(3) Spanish.

(b) The agency shall post on the agency's Internet website information regarding:

(1) the program of study developed under this section; and

(2) the financial incentive program to prepare teachers to obtain certification to teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Subchapter LL, Chapter 61.

SECTION 2. Section 33.007(b), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) During the first school year a student is enrolled in a high school or at the high school level in an open-enrollment charter school, and again during each year of a student's enrollment in high school or at the high school level, a school counselor shall provide information about postsecondary education to the student and the student's parent or guardian. The information must include information regarding:

(1) the importance of postsecondary education;

(2) the advantages of earning an endorsement and a performance acknowledgment and completing the distinguished level of achievement under the foundation high school program under Section 28.025;

(3) the disadvantages of taking courses to prepare for a high school equivalency examination relative to the benefits of taking courses leading to a high school diploma;

(4) financial aid eligibility;

(5) instruction on how to apply for federal financial aid;

(6) the center for financial aid information established under Section 61.0776;

(7) the automatic admission of certain students to general academic teaching institutions as provided by Section 51.803;

(8) the eligibility and academic performance requirements for the TEXAS Grant as provided by Subchapter M, Chapter 56;

(9) the availability of programs in the district under which a student may earn college credit, including advanced placement programs, dual credit programs, joint high school and college credit programs, and international baccalaureate programs;

(10) the availability of education and training vouchers and tuition and fee waivers to attend an institution of higher education as provided by Section 54.366 for a student who is or was previously in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services; [and]

(11) the availability of college credit awarded by institutions of higher education to veterans and military servicemembers for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service as described by the informational materials developed under Section 302.0031(h), Labor Code; and

(12) the availability of programs that prepare students for teaching bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish, including:

(A) the program of study developed under Section 29.1831; and

(B) the financial incentive program administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Subchapter LL, Chapter 61.

SECTION 3. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding Subchapter LL to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER LL. FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO PREPARE TEACHERS IN

BILINGUAL EDUCATION, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, AND SPANISH

Sec. 61.9851. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. (a) The board shall establish a program to provide financial incentives such as tuition assistance or student loan repayment to:

(1) assist persons in obtaining certification to teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish in a public elementary or secondary school in this state; and

(2) facilitate the employment of those persons by a public elementary or secondary school in this state that has a shortage of teachers certified to teach in those fields.

(b) In administering the program, the board shall give priority to awarding financial incentives to those eligible persons who demonstrate the greatest financial need.

Sec. 61.9852. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive financial incentives under this subchapter, a person must:

(1) apply to the board in the form and manner prescribed by board rule;

(2) be admitted into an educator preparation program at an institution of higher education or at a private or independent institution of higher education that prepares students for certification to teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish;

(3) enter into an agreement with the board as provided by Section 61.9853; and

(4) satisfy any other criteria jointly prescribed by the board and the State Board for Educator Certification.

Sec. 61.9853. AGREEMENT. To qualify for financial incentives under this subchapter, a person must enter into a written agreement with the board as provided by this section. The agreement must require the person to:

(1) obtain, within the period prescribed by board rule, certification to teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish in a public elementary or secondary school in this state;

(2) accept, during the first school year that begins after the date the person becomes certified as provided by Subdivision (1), an offer of full-time employment to teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish in a public elementary or secondary school in this state that has a shortage of teachers certified to teach in one or more of those fields; and

(3) teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish at that school for at least two school years.

Sec. 61.9854. FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. The board shall award financial incentives such as tuition assistance or student loan repayment to each participant in the program to assist with the cost of payment of mandatory tuition and fees for courses required to obtain certification to teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish.

Sec. 61.9855. REIMBURSEMENT; EXCEPTIONS. (a) A program participant who fails to meet the requirements of Section 61.9853 shall reimburse the board for the amount of any assistance received by the participant under this subchapter.

(b) The board by rule shall establish exceptions to the reimbursement requirement under this section for participants who are unable to meet the requirements of Section 61.9853 as a result of an unusual hardship.

Sec. 61.9856. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to money appropriated by the legislature, the board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9857. RULES. The board shall adopt rules necessary for the administration of this subchapter, including a rule that sets the maximum amount of financial assistance that a person may receive under this subchapter in one year.

SECTION 4. The Texas Education Agency shall develop the program of study for use in a school district's career and technology education program to teach bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish as required by Section 29.1831, Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning not later than the 2022-2023 school year.

SECTION 5. Section 33.007(b), Education Code, as amended by this Act, applies beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.

SECTION 6. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter LL, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect.

SECTION 7. 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, 2021.