By:  Lucio                                              S.B. No. 95
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to the recruitment of teachers, including assistance in
    1-2  the repayment of student loans for teachers.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
    1-5  amended by adding Section 11.37 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 11.37.  TEACHER RECRUITMENT.  (a)  The commissioner of
    1-7  education may coordinate and administer a comprehensive program to
    1-8  identify the need for teachers in specific subject areas and
    1-9  geographic regions and to encourage members of minority groups to
   1-10  enter the teaching profession.  In coordinating the program, the
   1-11  commissioner shall consider the efforts of existing programs for
   1-12  recruiting minorities into the teaching profession, including those
   1-13  authorized under Section 13.050 of this code.  The commissioner
   1-14  shall give priority to implementing this program from the agency's
   1-15  discretionary funds.
   1-16        (b)  The commissioner may implement a plan to identify
   1-17  talented secondary school students and to attract them to the
   1-18  teaching profession.  In cooperation with the commissioner, the
   1-19  principal of each high school in the state shall appoint a
   1-20  volunteer teacher as the teacher recruiting officer for the school
   1-21  to assist in providing information about the merits of the teaching
   1-22  profession and in identifying and encouraging talented students to
   1-23  become teachers.  If possible, the principal shall designate the
   1-24  sponsor of the school's Future Teachers of America club as the
    2-1  teacher recruiting officer.  At least once each school year, the
    2-2  commissioner shall sponsor a meeting in each regional education
    2-3  service center area of the teacher recruiting officers from each
    2-4  high school in that area to provide the officers the opportunity to
    2-5  share information and written materials about the teacher
    2-6  recruitment program.
    2-7        (c)  The commissioner shall encourage the business community
    2-8  to cooperate with local schools to develop recruiting programs
    2-9  designed to attract and retain capable teachers.  The commissioner
   2-10  shall encourage the business community to provide summer employment
   2-11  opportunities for teachers.
   2-12        (d)  The commissioner shall encourage major education
   2-13  associations to cooperate in developing a long-range program
   2-14  promoting teaching as a career and to assist in identifying local
   2-15  activities and resources that may be used to promote the teaching
   2-16  profession.
   2-17        (e)  Any funds solicited for or received from any public or
   2-18  private source for this program shall be used exclusively for the
   2-19  implementation of this program.
   2-20        SECTION 2.  Section 61.701, Education Code, is amended to
   2-21  read as follows:
   2-22        Sec. 61.701.  Repayment Authorized. The coordinating board
   2-23  may provide, <using funds appropriated for that purpose and> in
   2-24  accordance with this subchapter and board rules, assistance in the
   2-25  repayment of student loans for teachers who apply and qualify for
   2-26  the assistance.
   2-27        SECTION 3.  Subsection (b), Section 61.705, Education Code,
    3-1  is amended to read as follows:
    3-2        (b)  A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied
    3-3  <only> to the principal amount of the loan and to interest that
    3-4  accrues.
    3-5        SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
    3-6        SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-7  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-8  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    3-9  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-10  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.