By Salinas H.B. No. 1740
76R5192 CAS-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to time-management improvement in public schools.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 7, Education Code, is
1-5 amended by adding Section 7.058 to read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 7.058. TIME-MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT AWARDS. (a) The
1-7 commissioner may develop and implement a program to evaluate and
1-8 reward school districts and school campuses for time-management
1-9 improvement plans developed under Section 21.404(b).
1-10 (b) A district- or campus-level planning and decision-making
1-11 committee under Subchapter F, Chapter 11, may nominate a school
1-12 district or school campus for an award. In making the nomination,
1-13 the committee shall use the procedure and form prescribed by the
1-14 commissioner.
1-15 (c) The commissioner may use not more than $25 million each
1-16 year from funds appropriated for that purpose to distribute to
1-17 districts and campuses that have earned awards under this section.
1-18 SECTION 2. Section 21.404, Education Code, is amended to
1-19 read as follows:
1-20 Sec. 21.404. PLANNING AND PREPARATION [TIME]. (a) Each
1-21 classroom teacher is entitled to at least 450 minutes within each
1-22 two-week period for instructional preparation, including
1-23 parent-teacher conferences, evaluating students' work, and
1-24 planning. A planning and preparation period under this section may
2-1 not be less than 45 minutes within the instructional day. During a
2-2 planning and preparation period, a classroom teacher may not be
2-3 required to participate in any other activity.
2-4 (b) In each school district, district and campus
2-5 administrators, in collaboration with the appropriate district- or
2-6 campus-level planning and decision-making committees prescribed
2-7 under Subchapter F, Chapter 11, shall develop a plan to increase
2-8 the amount of time available during the regular teacher work day
2-9 for preparation and for collaboration among teachers through the
2-10 use of appropriate strategies, including:
2-11 (1) common planning and preparation periods for
2-12 teachers teaching at the same grade level or in the same
2-13 department;
2-14 (2) an additional conference period each month during
2-15 the teacher work day that is specifically designated for grade
2-16 level or department planning and preparation;
2-17 (3) the availability of an aide or school volunteer
2-18 for each grade level or department in each school to perform duties
2-19 such as clerical work, hall monitoring, and school bus supervision;
2-20 (4) more efficient use of the regular instructional
2-21 day through block scheduling and reducing time permitted for class
2-22 changes;
2-23 (5) increased teacher access to technology;
2-24 (6) two non-teaching days each school year that a
2-25 teacher may use at the teacher's discretion to perform professional
2-26 duties;
2-27 (7) limiting the reports that teachers may be required
3-1 to prepare; or
3-2 (8) at least one-half day at the end of each grade
3-3 reporting period that a teacher may use for tasks such as
3-4 completing grade reports, performing required paperwork, or
3-5 preparing the classroom for a subsequent unit of study.
3-6 SECTION 3. (a) Section 21.404, Education Code, as amended
3-7 by this Act applies beginning with the 1999-2000 school year.
3-8 (b) The commissioner of education shall implement a time
3-9 management improvement plan award program as required by Section
3-10 7.058, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than
3-11 September 1, 2000.
3-12 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-13 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-14 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-15 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-16 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-17 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-18 passage, and it is so enacted.