Floor Packet Page No. 78
      Amend CSSB 4 by adding the following appropriately numbered
SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering the subsequent SECTIONS of the
bill accordingly:
      SECTION ____.  Subchapter H, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 21.358 to read as follows:
      Sec. 21.358.  LONE STAR TEACHER INCENTIVE PROGRAM.  (a)  The
commissioner shall administer the Lone STAR Teacher Incentive
Program to recognize and reward classroom teachers for continuous
acquisition of knowledge and skills related to teaching.
      (b)  The program measures classroom teacher advancement in
the program using State Teacher Advancement and Remuneration
credits (STARs).  The program contains three STARs designated red,
white, and blue, respectively.
      (c)  A classroom teacher may participate in the program if
the teacher:
            (1)  submits an application to the commissioner in the
time and manner prescribed by the commissioner; and
            (2)  is certified under Subchapter B.
      (d)  A classroom teacher is entitled to earn STARs as
follows:
            (1)  one red STAR for a year-long assignment to teach
for at least part of the school day at a grade level or in a
subject area with a critical teaching shortage, as identified and
defined by the commissioner, that is not covered by the teacher's
initial certification and for which the teacher has obtained an
additional certification;
            (2)  one white STAR for a year-long assignment to
teach, in a subject area for which the teacher is certified:
                  (A)  a high school level preparatory course for a
college advanced placement test that includes each topic specified
by the College Board and Educational Testing Service's standard
syllabus for the subject area; or
                  (B)  a high school level preparatory course for
an international baccalaureate examination that includes each topic
specified by the International Baccalaureate Organization's
standard syllabus for the subject area; and
            (3)  one blue STAR for a year-long assignment to teach
for at least part of the school day at a grade level or in a
subject area for which the teacher holds:
                  (A)  a National Board Certification, as defined
by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, or any
comparable certification, as determined by the commissioner; or
                  (B)  an advanced certification under Subchapter
B.
      (e)  Any certifications counted toward STARs under Subsection
(d)(3) may not be counted toward STARs under Subsection (d)(1).
      (f)  A classroom teacher is entitled to credit for a STAR
earned under Subsection (d) only for the year in which the teacher
earns the STAR.
      (g)  A certification other than that for a classroom teacher,
such as for principal, superintendent, counselor, or educational
aide, may not be counted toward STARs under Subsection (d).
      (h)  The commissioner shall:
            (1)  annually compute the number and distribution of
STARs to which classroom teachers are entitled for that school year
using information from the Public Education Information Management
System (PEIMS) and the State Board for Educator Certification and
report this information to the teachers, school districts, the
State Board of Education, and the governor;
            (2)  annually determine the monetary value of a STAR
based on available appropriations and the total number of STARs to
which classroom teachers are entitled for that school year,
provided that a white STAR is twice the value of a red STAR and a
blue STAR is twice the value of a white STAR;
            (3)  subject to available money, annually award each
district an amount of money equal to the value of the STARs that
classroom teachers in the district have earned during that school
year;
            (4)  annually provide each district with a list
specifying the monetary value of STARs, the color and number of
STARs to which each classroom teacher in the district who
participates in the program is entitled, and the amount of money to
be paid to each teacher and campus;
            (5)  develop and publicize guidelines to determine
which teaching assignments are considered to be in areas of teacher
certification; and
            (6)  not later than June 1 of each year, compile and
publicize a list of critical teaching shortage areas for the
following school year using information from the Public Education
Information Management System (PEIMS) and the State Board for
Educator Certification.
      (i)  A district receiving grants under this section shall pay
each classroom teacher an amount of money equal to 90 percent of
the value of STARs that the teacher earned during that school year.
The district shall pay the campus of each teacher receiving money
under this subsection an amount of money equal to 10 percent of the
value of STARs that the teacher earned during that school year. The
district shall pay each teacher and campus on the last payday of
the spring semester or June 15, whichever is later.
      (j)  The principal of a campus receiving money under
Subsection (i) must use the money to improve instruction on the
campus, including support of continuing professional education
programs.
      (k)  A classroom teacher is responsible for:
            (1)  maintaining documentation of the teacher's
certifications;
            (2)  ensuring that program records concerning the
teacher's participation are updated; and
            (3)  notifying the commissioner of errors or omissions
in the teacher's record.
      (l)  A classroom teacher is not required to participate in
the program as a condition of continued certification under
Subchapter B.
      (m)  The Lone STAR Teacher Incentive Program is funded by
amounts appropriated from any available source, including gifts,
grants, and donations accepted for that purpose.
      SECTION ____.  A classroom teacher is entitled to credit for
an additional certification, including an advanced certification
under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, or a National Board
Certification, under the Lone STAR Teacher Incentive Program under
Section 21.358, Education Code, as added by this Act, regardless of
when the certification was obtained.  A classroom teacher is
entitled to credit under the Lone STAR Teacher Incentive Program
for an assignment to teach a course specified by Section 21.358(d),
Education Code, as added by this Act, only for an assignment for
the 2000-2001 school year or a subsequent school year.