By McReynolds H.B. No. 2122
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2122:
By Williamson C.S.H.B. No. 2122
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to school district teaching permits.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 21.055, Education Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 21.055. School District Teaching Permit. (a) As
1-7 provided by this section, a school district may issue a school
1-8 district teaching permit and employ as a teacher a person who does
1-9 not hold a teaching certificate issued by the board.
1-10 (b) To be eligible for a school district teaching permit
1-11 under this section, a person must hold a baccalaureate degree and
1-12 have an academic background or work experience related to the
1-13 subject or class that the person will teach. This subsection does
1-14 not apply to a person who will teach only career and technology
1-15 education.
1-16 (c) To be eligible for a school district teaching permit to
1-17 teach a career and technology education subject or class, a person
1-18 must have work experience related to the subject or class.
1-19 (d) Promptly after employing a person under this section, a
1-20 school district shall send to the commissioner a written statement
1-21 identifying the person, the person's qualifications as a teacher,
1-22 and the subject or class the person will teach. The person may
1-23 teach the subject or class pending action by the commissioner.
1-24 (e) [(d)] Not later than the 30th day after the date the
2-1 commissioner receives the statement under Subsection (d) [(c)], the
2-2 commissioner may inform the district in writing that the
2-3 commissioner finds the person is not qualified to teach. The
2-4 person may not teach if the commissioner finds the person is not
2-5 qualified. If the commissioner fails to act within the time
2-6 prescribed by this subsection, the district may issue to the person
2-7 a school district teaching permit and the person may teach the
2-8 subject or class identified in the statement.
2-9 (f) [(e)] A person authorized to teach under this section
2-10 may not teach in another school district unless that district
2-11 complies with this section. Except as provided by Subsection (i),
2-12 a [A] school district teaching permit is [remains] valid until the
2-13 person satisfies the requirements adopted under Section
2-14 21.041(b)(10) or until a date set by the board [unless the district
2-15 issuing the permit revokes it for cause].
2-16 (g) A person employed under this section is subject to the
2-17 code of ethics proposed by the board under Section 21.041(b)(8).
2-18 The board, in accordance with rules proposed under Section
2-19 21.041(b)(7), may sanction a school district teaching permit.
2-20 (h) A person who holds or has held a school district
2-21 teaching permit may obtain a teaching certificate issued under
2-22 rules proposed under Section 21.041(b)(10).
2-23 (i) A school district may revoke a school district teaching
2-24 permit for cause. A district shall notify the commissioner in
2-25 writing of a revocation under this subsection not later than the
2-26 10th day after the date of the revocation.
2-27 SECTION 2. Section 21.041(b), Education Code, is amended to
3-1 read as follows:
3-2 (b) The board shall propose rules that:
3-3 (1) provide for the regulation of educators and the
3-4 general administration of this subchapter in a manner consistent
3-5 with this subchapter;
3-6 (2) specify the classes of educator certificates to be
3-7 issued, including emergency certificates;
3-8 (3) specify the period for which each class of
3-9 educator certificate is valid;
3-10 (4) specify the requirements for the issuance and
3-11 renewal of an educator certificate;
3-12 (5) provide for the issuance of an educator
3-13 certificate to a person who holds a similar certificate issued by
3-14 another state or foreign country, subject to Section 21.052;
3-15 (6) provide for special or restricted certification of
3-16 educators, including certification of instructors of American Sign
3-17 Language;
3-18 (7) provide for disciplinary proceedings, including
3-19 the suspension or revocation of an educator certificate, as
3-20 provided by Chapter 2001, Government Code;
3-21 (8) provide for the adoption, amendment, and
3-22 enforcement of an educator's code of ethics;
3-23 (9) provide for continuing education requirements; and
3-24 (10) provide for certification of persons employed by
3-25 school districts under Section 21.055 [performing appraisals under
3-26 Subchapter H].
3-27 SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998
4-1 school year.
4-2 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
4-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-7 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-8 passage, and it is so enacted.