By Hernandez                                     H.B. No. 623

      75R3224 KKA-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to certification of public school educators.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is

 1-5     amended by adding Section 21.056 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 21.056.  ADDITIONAL CERTIFICATION.  (a)  The board by

 1-7     rule shall provide for a certified educator to qualify for

 1-8     additional certification to teach at a grade level or in a subject

 1-9     area not covered by the educator's certificate on satisfactory

1-10     completion of:

1-11                 (1)  any examination required to teach at that grade

1-12     level or in that subject area by this code or board rule; and

1-13                 (2)  a one-year internship under the supervision of an

1-14     experienced certified educator who teaches at that grade level or

1-15     in that subject area.

1-16           (b)  An educator who holds a secondary certificate is exempt

1-17     from the requirement imposed under Subsection (a)(2) if the

1-18     educator is seeking certification to teach in a secondary subject

1-19     area.

1-20           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-1     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-2     passage, and it is so enacted.