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.