SRC-DPW S.B. 1616 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1616 By: Cain Education 4/6/1999 As Filed DIGEST Currently, Texas teachers earn among the lowest starting salaries of any technical profession that requires a college degree. This bill would provide an educator pay raise, improve recruitment and training for Texas teachers, close a loophole in the Tax Increment Financing system, and reduce the pressure on local property tax rates. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1616 sets forth guidelines for the compensation and preparation of public school teachers and the financing thereof. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 12 (Section 61.0514, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Title 2, Education Code, by adding Chapter 47, as follows: CHAPTER 47. EDUCATOR PAY RAISE ALLOTMENT Sec. 47.001. DEFINITION. Defines "educator." Sec. 47.002. EDUCATOR PAY RAISE ALLOTMENT. Provides that for each year, a school district is guaranteed a specific allotment in state funds for a certain number of cents of tax effort to pay for raises for educators. Sets forth the method for determining the allotment. Requires the allotment to be distributed by each school district in a manner that provides an equal percentage increase to all teachers in the district. Requires districts subject to Section 41.003, who choose options (3) or (4) of that section, to have the cumulative cost of purchasing average daily attendance credits (attendance credits) or contracting for the education of nonresident students reduced by the amount of the allotment in lieu of receiving the allotment of this chapter. Prohibits a district from being required to achieve an equalized wealth level and is required to receive the portion of the allotment that exceeds the cumulative amount, if the allotment is greater than the cumulative cost of purchasing attendance credits or contracting for the education of nonresident students. Prohibits a district from receiving an allotment if certain circumstances occur. SECTION 2. Amends Section 42.007, Education Code, to require the funding elements to include the amount to be appropriated for the educator pay raise allotment under Chapter 47. Requires a study on funding elements to include a study of the cost to the state each biennium to ensure that each school district would be able to maintain existing programs at existing tax rates assuming no student growth without raising local property takes. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 3. Amends Section 403.302(d), Government Code, as amended by Chapters 1039, 1040, and 1071, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, to redefine "taxable value." SECTION 4. Amends Sections 403.302(e) - (g), Government Code, to provide that Subsection (d)(3) applies only to the captured appraised value of real property located in an investment zone before September 1, 1999, or an improvement to real property described by Subdivision (1). Makes conforming changes. SECTION 5. Amends Section 403.303(a), Government Code, to authorize a school district or certain property owner to protest the comptroller's findings under Section 403.302(g) or (h), rather than Sections 403.302(f) and (g), by filing a petition. SECTION 6. Amends Section 44.004, Education Code, as follows: Sec. 44.044. New heading: NOTICE, HEARING AND VOTE ON BUDGET MEETING; BUDGET ADOPTION AND TAX RATE. Requires a president of a board of trustees of a school district to provide for the publication of a notice of the budget and proposed tax rate in a newspaper published in the district. Sets forth the required style and content of the notice. Deletes a provision regarding notice published under this subsection. Deletes a provision authorizing a district to include a notice required under Section 26.06, Tax Code. SECTION 7. Amends Section 26.06, Tax Code, to require all units, except certain school districts, to post a notice regarding a public hearing. Requires units, except certain school districts, to give notice of a meeting at which such units vote on a proposed tax increase. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 8. Amends Section 42.102, Education Code, to provide that the cost of education adjustment is determined by adjusting the cost of the education index, rather than education index adjustment, adopted by the foundation school fund budget committee, to reflect the most recent available data. SECTION 9. Amends Section 57.043, Utilities Code, by adding Subsection (y), to require money appropriated to the telecommunications infrastructure fund board (TIFB) to fund training for all Texas public school teachers in the use of computers and technology for administrative and curriculum enhancement purposes. SECTION 10. Amends Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding Subchapter K, as follows: SUBCHAPTER K. TEACH FOR TEXAS PROGRAM Sec. 21.501. DEFINITIONS. Defines "board," "program," "public junior college," and "public senior college or university." Sec. 21.502. DEVELOPMENT. Requires the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) to propose rules for establishing the Teach for Texas Program (TTP) to attract certain persons to the teaching profession. Sec. 21.503. STRUCTURE. Provides that TTP consists of two tiers designed to attract certain persons to the teaching profession. Sec. 21.504. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. Requires SBEC to propose alternative certification requirements under Section 21.049 for persons in both tiers of TTP that facilitate the recruitment of persons into TTP. Sec. 21.505. FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. Requires TTP to offer TTP participants financial incentives. Sets forth requirements for SBEC. Provides that financial incentives are payable from funds appropriated for that purpose, and from gifts, grants, and donations. Sec. 21.506. PROGRAM ELEMENTS. Requires TTP to allow a participant to complete internship or fieldwork requirements during a summer, take into account special needs of substitute teachers and provide incentives for substitute teacher certification to teach, and offer health insurance to persons who leave employment to complete internship or fieldwork requirements. Sec. 21.507. MEDIA CAMPAIGN. Requires SBEC, working with certain state agencies, to conduct a coordinated media campaign, required to emphasize certain elements of the program, to educate professionals and student about TTP. SECTION 11. Amends Chapter 21B, Education Code, by adding Section 21.0441, as follows: Sec. 21.0441. COOPERATION WITH TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD. Requires SBEC to cooperate with and advise the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) in adoption by THECB of rules for educator preparation program curriculum under Section 61.0514. SECTION 12. Amends Chapter 61C, Education Code, by adding Section 61.0514, as follows: Sec. 61.0514. INTEGRATED COURSEWORK. Requires THECB, in cooperation with SBEC, by rule, to adopt educator preparation program curriculum guidelines to integrate certain materials in order to minimize the amount of coursework necessary to obtain educator certification under Chapter 21B. SECTION 13. Requires THECB to adopt rules in accordance with Section 61.0514, Education Code, and distribute the rules to certain colleges no later than August 15, 2000. Requires certain colleges to offer courses in accordance with such rules beginning the fall semester of the 2002 - 2003 academic year. SECTION 14. Effective date: August 31, 1999. SECTION 15. Emergency clause.