HBA-MPM H.B. 1770 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1770 By: Lewis, Ron Public Education 3/12/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Improving the education system in Texas depends in large part on the quality of the education provided by the teachers who work with students. H.B. 1770 creates the Texas Teaching Fellows Commission (commission) to help establish a recruitment program for capable educators by granting certain Texas high school students who intend to teach in public schools in this state loans of $5,000 per year for four years to pay tuition and fees incurred in attending an educator preparation program. Furthermore, this bill sets forth the composition of the commission, the commission's duties, and the standards it is required to set for students receiving such loans and the terms of the loans. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Teaching Fellows Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 21.510, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding Subchapter K, as follows: SUBCHAPTER K. TEXAS TEACHING FELLOWS COMMISSION Sec. 21.501. DEFINITIONS. Defines "commission" as the Texas Teaching Fellows Commission, and "program" as the teaching fellows program. Assigns the meaning assigned by Section 61.003 (Definitions), Education Code, to "institution of higher education," where this term means any public technical institute, public junior college, public senior college or university, medical or dental unit, or other agency of higher education as defined in that section. Sec. 21.502. TEXAS TEACHING FELLOWS COMMISSION. Provides that the commission is composed of seven members and sets forth the composition of the commission. Provides that the commissioner of education (commissioner) serves on the commission as an additional duty of office. Requires each of the officers who appoint members to the commission to appoint only persons who have demonstrated a commitment to public education and to attempt to achieve a balanced membership representing the state as a whole to the maximum extent practicable. Sec. 21.503. TERMS; VACANCY. Provides that appointed members of the commission serve for terms of two years expiring on January 31 of each odd-numbered year. Requires the officer who made an initial appointment to the commission to appoint a replacement member to fulfill the unexpired portion of a term, should there be a vacancy. Sec. 21.504. APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT. Makes the commission subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act), Government Code. Provides that unless it is continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the commission is abolished and this subchapter expires September 1, 2005. Sec. 21.505. PRESIDING OFFICER. Provides that the commissioner serves as the commission's presiding officer. Sec. 21.506. PER DIEM; REIMBURSEMENT. Entitles a commission member to receive per diem for any day the member is engaged in actual and necessary business of the commission and reimbursement for actual and necessary travel expenses as provided by the General Appropriations Act. Sec. 21.507. MEETINGS. Requires the commission to meet regularly at a time and place called by the presiding officer. Sec. 21.508. STAFF. Requires the Texas Education Agency (agency) to provide staff and office space to the commission. Sec. 21.509. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. Requires the commission to administer the program in cooperation with educator preparation programs selected by the commission. Authorizes the commission to provide to Texas high school students who intend to teach in public schools in this state loans of $5,000 per year for four years to pay tuition and fees incurred in attending an educator preparation program. Sec. 21.510. ADMISSION TO PROGRAM. (a) Requires the commission, by rule, to establish standards, including a minimum grade point average (GPA) and minimum score on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT), for awarding a loan. Provides that no more than 2,000 students may receive loans under this subchapter at any one time. (b) Requires the commission to form regional review committees to assist in identifying the most qualified high school seniors for the program, and for the commission and the review committees to attempt to identify and encourage certain segments of the student population for the program. Requires the commission to cooperate with the agency so that the program and the recruitment program in Section 21.004 (Teacher Recruitment Program), Education Code, avoid duplication of recruitment efforts. Sec. 21.511. FORM OF LOAN; TERMINATION. (a) Provides that each loan under this subchapter must be evidenced by a note payable to the commission and must bear interest at a rate of 10 percent per year beginning September 1 after completion of the educator preparation program, or immediately after termination of the loan, whichever is earlier. (b) Authorizes the commission to terminate the loan if the recipient withdraws from an educator preparation program or fails to maintain the commission's established standards. Sec. 21.512. DEFERRAL OF PAYMENT; FORGIVENESS OF LOAN. Specifies that before the seventh anniversary of the date a recipient graduates from an educator preparation program, the recipient is not required to repay the loan. Requires the commission to forgive the loan under certain circumstances. Sec. 21.513. REVOLVING ACCOUNT. (a) Requires that money appropriated to or otherwise received by the program for loans, money received as repayment for loans, and all interest earned on that money be placed in a revolving account that may be used only for a loan granted under the program, except that the account may also be used for campus and summer program support and costs related to disbursement of awards and collection of loan repayments, if provided in the General Appropriations Act. SECTION 2. Amends Section 21.004(c), Education Code, to make a conforming change. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.