| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
| |
|
|
relating to continuing education and training requirements for |
|
|
classroom teachers and public school counselors. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 21.054(d), Education Code, as amended by |
|
|
Chapters 1045 (S.B. 1267) and 973 (S.B. 2066), Acts of the 87th |
|
|
Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is reenacted and amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(d) Subject to Subsection (d-2), continuing [Continuing] |
|
|
education requirements for a classroom teacher may not require |
|
|
[must provide] that [not] more than 25 percent of the training |
|
|
required every five years include instruction regarding: |
|
|
(1) collecting and analyzing information that will |
|
|
improve effectiveness in the classroom; |
|
|
(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a |
|
|
student may be at risk of dropping out of school; |
|
|
(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and |
|
|
integrating technology into classroom instruction; |
|
|
(4) educating diverse student populations, including: |
|
|
(A) students who are educationally |
|
|
disadvantaged; and |
|
|
(B) students at risk of dropping out of school; |
|
|
and |
|
|
(5) understanding appropriate relationships, |
|
|
boundaries, and communications between educators and students. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 21.054, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (d-2) and amending Subsection (f) to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(d-2) Training in a topic of instruction described by |
|
|
Subsection (d) attended by a classroom teacher in excess of an |
|
|
amount of hours equal to 25 percent of the training required of the |
|
|
teacher every five years shall be counted toward the teacher's |
|
|
overall training requirements. |
|
|
(f) Continuing education requirements for a counselor must |
|
|
provide that at least [not more than] 25 percent of training |
|
|
required every five years include instruction regarding: |
|
|
(1) assisting students in developing high school |
|
|
graduation plans; |
|
|
(2) implementing dropout prevention strategies; |
|
|
(3) informing students concerning: |
|
|
(A) college admissions, including college |
|
|
financial aid resources and application procedures; and |
|
|
(B) career opportunities; |
|
|
(4) counseling students concerning mental health |
|
|
conditions and substance abuse, including through the use of |
|
|
grief-informed and trauma-informed interventions and crisis |
|
|
management and suicide prevention strategies; and |
|
|
(5) effective implementation of a comprehensive |
|
|
school counseling program under Section 33.005. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 4. 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, 2023. |
|
|
|
|
|
* * * * * |