Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 571 amends the Education Code to waive tuition and fees for residents who have at least two years of experience working as certified educational aides in a school district, are employed as such during the semester for which the tuition exemption is granted, demonstrate financial need, are enrolled in courses required for teacher certification, maintain an acceptable grade point average, and comply with any other requirement established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The act requires that the balance of certain foundation school fund savings, after meeting statutory funding priorities, be used to fund these tuition and fee exemptions and that the Texas Education Agency accept and make available contributions made to the agency for the purpose of funding these exemptions.

            House Bill 571 also exempts graduates who have completed the coursework required for teacher certification under the tuition exemption described above from any requirement to perform postgraduate student teaching internships.

            The provisions relating to tuition and fee exemptions for educational aides apply beginning with the 1997 fall semester.