By Rangel, Kamel, Flores, Davis, Davila, H.B. No. 571 75R9580 CAS-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to exempting certain educational aides from tuition and 1-3 fees charged by institutions of higher education. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 21.050, Education Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: 1-7 (c) A person who receives a bachelor's degree required for a 1-8 teaching certificate on the basis of higher education coursework 1-9 completed while receiving an exemption from tuition and fees under 1-10 Section 54.214 and who has at least two school years of classroom 1-11 working experience as an educational aide may not be required to 1-12 perform any internship consisting of student teaching to receive a 1-13 teaching certificate. 1-14 SECTION 2. Section 54.213, Education Code, is amended to 1-15 read as follows: 1-16 Sec. 54.213. FUNDING OF EXEMPTIONS. (a) An institution of 1-17 higher education may fund tuition exemptions under Section 54.212 1-18 or 54.214 from local funds or from funds appropriated to the 1-19 institution. An institution of higher education is not required to 1-20 provide tuition exemptions beyond those funded through 1-21 appropriations specifically designated for this purpose. 1-22 (b) Savings to the foundation school fund that occur as a 1-23 result of the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program 1-24 created in Subchapter K, Chapter 56, and that are not required for 1-25 the funding of state tuition credits under that program shall be 2-1 used first to provide tuition exemptions under Section 54.212. Any 2-2 of those savings remaining after providing tuition exemptions under 2-3 Section 54.212 shall be used to provide tuition exemptions under 2-4 Section 54.214. The Texas Education Agency shall also accept and 2-5 make available to provide tuition exemptions under Section 54.214 2-6 gifts, grants, and donations made to the agency for that purpose. 2-7 Payment of funds under this subsection shall be made in the manner 2-8 provided by Section 56.207 for tuition credits under Subchapter K, 2-9 Chapter 56. 2-10 SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is 2-11 amended by adding Section 54.214 to read as follows: 2-12 Sec. 54.214. EDUCATIONAL AIDES. (a) In this section, 2-13 "coordinating board" means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating 2-14 Board. 2-15 (b) The governing board of an institution of higher 2-16 education shall exempt an eligible educational aide from the 2-17 payment of tuition and fees, other than class or laboratory fees. 2-18 (c) To be eligible for an exemption under this section, a 2-19 person must: 2-20 (1) be a resident of this state; 2-21 (2) be certified as an educational aide by the State 2-22 Board for Educator Certification; 2-23 (3) have at least two school years of experience as a 2-24 certified educational aide working directly with students in a 2-25 school district; 2-26 (4) be employed as a certified educational aide 2-27 working directly with students in a school district during the 3-1 entire term or semester for which the person receives the 3-2 exemption; 3-3 (5) establish financial need as determined by 3-4 coordinating board rule; 3-5 (6) be enrolled in classes necessary for certification 3-6 as a teacher at the institution of higher education granting the 3-7 exemption; 3-8 (7) maintain an acceptable grade point average as 3-9 determined by coordinating board rule; and 3-10 (8) comply with any other requirements adopted by the 3-11 coordinating board under this section. 3-12 (d) The coordinating board must certify a person's 3-13 eligibility to receive an exemption under this section. As soon as 3-14 practicable after receiving an application for certification, the 3-15 coordinating board shall make the determination of eligibility and 3-16 give notice of its determination to the applicant, the institution 3-17 of higher education at which the applicant is enrolled, and the 3-18 school district employing the person as an educational aide. 3-19 (e) The coordinating board shall adopt rules consistent with 3-20 this section as necessary to implement this section. The 3-21 coordinating board shall distribute a copy of the rules adopted 3-22 under this section to each school district and institution of 3-23 higher education in this state. 3-24 SECTION 4. The changes in law made by Sections 2 and 3 of 3-25 this Act take effect beginning with the fall semester in 1997. 3-26 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the 3-27 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-1 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-2 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-3 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 4-4 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 4-5 passage, and it is so enacted.