By Dukes H.B. No. 2322
76R7275 BDH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to creation, powers, and duties of the Task Force on
1-3 Educational Aides.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. TASK FORCE ON EDUCATIONAL AIDES. The Task Force
1-6 on Educational Aides is created to identify and review the role of
1-7 educational aides and the needs of public school students,
1-8 including special education students.
1-9 SECTION 2. COMPOSITION. (a) The task force is composed of:
1-10 (1) two members of the senate, appointed by the
1-11 lieutenant governor;
1-12 (2) two members of the house of representatives,
1-13 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;
1-14 (3) two members who are teachers, appointed by the
1-15 Commissioner of Education from a slate of nominees provided by
1-16 statewide educator organizations that represent teachers;
1-17 (4) eight members who are educational aides, appointed
1-18 by the Commissioner of Education from a slate of nominees provided
1-19 by statewide educator organizations that represent educational
1-20 aides;
1-21 (5) a representative of boards of trustees of school
1-22 districts, appointed by the Commissioner of Education from a slate
1-23 of nominees provided by a statewide association that represents
1-24 boards of trustees of school districts;
2-1 (6) a representative of school administrators,
2-2 appointed by the Commissioner of Education from a slate of nominees
2-3 provided by a statewide association that represents school
2-4 administrators;
2-5 (7) a representative of parent-teacher associations,
2-6 appointed by the Commissioner of Education from a slate of nominees
2-7 provided by a statewide association that represents parent-teacher
2-8 associations;
2-9 (8) a member appointed by the State Board for Educator
2-10 Certification;
2-11 (9) a member who is an employee of a regional
2-12 education service center established under Chapter 8, Education
2-13 Code, and who has experience in staff development, appointed by the
2-14 Texas Education Agency;
2-15 (10) a member who provides staff development services
2-16 for educational aides, appointed by the Texas Education Agency;
2-17 (11) a member who is a university employee in charge
2-18 of teacher education program development, appointed by the Texas
2-19 Higher Education Coordinating Board;
2-20 (12) a member who is a community college employee in
2-21 charge of continuing education program development, appointed by
2-22 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; and
2-23 (13) a member of the general public, appointed by the
2-24 governor.
2-25 (b) The public member appointed by the governor is the
2-26 presiding officer of the task force.
2-27 SECTION 3. MEETINGS. The task force shall meet at the call
3-1 of the presiding officer.
3-2 SECTION 4. STAFF AND EXPENSES. (a) The Texas Education
3-3 Agency shall provide necessary support staff to the task force.
3-4 (b) Members of the task force other than members of the
3-5 legislature are entitled to reimbursement, from funds appropriated
3-6 to the Texas Education Agency, for travel expenses incurred in
3-7 performing duties under this Act, subject to any limitation in the
3-8 General Appropriations Act for travel by state employees. Members
3-9 of the legislature are entitled to reimbursement for those expenses
3-10 in the same manner as expenses for other legislative duties.
3-11 SECTION 5. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. (a) The task force shall
3-12 develop recommendations regarding:
3-13 (1) minimum entrance standards for educational aides;
3-14 (2) minimum knowledge and skill requirements for
3-15 educational aides in each of the various programs and position
3-16 levels;
3-17 (3) certification of educational aides; and
3-18 (4) any matter significant to educational aides, as
3-19 determined by the task force.
3-20 (b) In developing recommendations, the task force shall
3-21 review and analyze:
3-22 (1) the use of educational aides by school districts;
3-23 (2) the programs in which educational aides
3-24 participate; and
3-25 (3) the standards and laws governing the employment
3-26 and use of educational aides.
3-27 SECTION 6. REPORT. Not later than January 1, 2001, the task
4-1 force shall submit to the governor, the legislature, and the State
4-2 Board for Educator Certification a written report of the
4-3 recommendations required by Section 5 of this Act.
4-4 SECTION 7. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
4-5 1, 1999.
4-6 SECTION 8. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires and the Task
4-7 Force on Educational Aides is abolished September 1, 2001.
4-8 SECTION 9. EMERGENCY. The importance of this legislation
4-9 and the crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.