BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 544

By: Blanco

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to the final report of the Teacher Vacancy Task Force established by Governor Abbott, there is a teaching shortage throughout Texas. S.B. 544 seeks to facilitate the ability of military members who have experience as instructors for the Community College of the Air Force to teach in K-12 classrooms by providing for the issuance of a one-year, temporary teaching certificate to such an individual while they work on completing requirements in an educator preparation program. The bill sets out certain requirements for a person to qualify for such a certificate and provides for certain experience at the Community College of the Air Force to apply to requirements of the educator preparation program.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board for Educator Certification in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 544 amends the Education Code to require the State Board for Educator Certification to propose rules providing for a person who has at least two semesters' experience as a full-time instructor for the Community College of the Air Force to, as follows:

· be issued a temporary teaching certificate on the person's enrollment in an educator preparation program; and

· receive credit for the person's education, training, and clinical or professional experience as an instructor for the Community College of the Air Force toward the requirements for completion of an educator preparation program, including requirements regarding coursework, field-based experience, or clinical experience.

The bill specifies that a temporary teaching certificate issued under the bill's provisions is valid for a term of one year from the date of issuance.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.