By Dukes H.B. No. 618 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to written notice from superintendents to parents on 1-3 whether teachers are appropriately certified by the state. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 21.057 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 21.057. NOTICE TO PARENT OF CERTIFICATION STATUS. (a) 1-8 For purposes of this section: 1-9 (1) "Inappropriately certified or uncertified person": 1-10 (A) does include: 1-11 (i) an individual serving on an emergency 1-12 certificate issued under Section 21.041(b)(2); 1-13 (ii) a certified teacher assigned to teach 1-14 a class or classes outside his or her area of certification, as 1-15 determined by rules proposed by the board specifying the 1-16 certificate required for each assignment; or 1-17 (iii) an individual who does not hold any 1-18 certificate or permit issued under this chapter and is not employed 1-19 as specified by Paragraph (B)(v); and 1-20 (B) does not include an individual: 1-21 (i) serving on a certificate issued due to 1-22 a hearing impairment under Section 21.048; 1-23 (ii) serving on a certificate issued 1-24 pursuant to enrollment in an approved alternative certification 2-1 program under Section 21.049; 2-2 (iii) certified by another state or 2-3 country and serving on a certificate issued under Section 21.052; 2-4 (iv) serving on a school district teaching 2-5 permit issued under Section 21.055; or 2-6 (v) employed under a waiver granted by the 2-7 commissioner of education pursuant to Section 7.056. 2-8 (2) "Parent" includes a guardian, conservator, or 2-9 other person having lawful control of a student. 2-10 (b) If a superintendent anticipates that a course will be 2-11 taught by an inappropriately certified or uncertified person for 30 2-12 or more consecutive instructional days, or if in fact allows a 2-13 course to be taught by an inappropriately certified or uncertified 2-14 person for 30 or more consecutive instructional days, the 2-15 superintendent must at that time notify in writing the parents of 2-16 each student enrolled in the course. 2-17 (c) If the primary language of a parent receiving notice 2-18 under this section is a language other than English, the 2-19 superintendent must make a good faith effort to provide the notice 2-20 in English and the parent's primary language. 2-21 (d) A superintendent providing notice under this section 2-22 must retain copies of the notice on file for public inspection. 2-23 SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000 2-24 school year. 2-25 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-26 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-3 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-4 passage, and it is so enacted.