By Ellis                                               S.B. No. 238
         76R3469 CAS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to performance bonuses for certain public school teachers.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 21.4031 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 21.4031.  PERFORMANCE BONUS.  (a) For a school year in
 1-7     which the performance rating of a school campus under Chapter 39
 1-8     improves from low-performing, the school district in which the
 1-9     campus is located shall pay to each classroom teacher at the campus
1-10     a performance bonus as follows:
1-11                 (1)  $500, if the campus performance rating improves
1-12     from low-performing to academically acceptable;
1-13                 (2)  $1,000, if the campus performance rating improves
1-14     from low-performing to recognized; and
1-15                 (3)  $2,000, if the campus performance rating improves
1-16     from low-performing to exemplary.
1-17           (b)  A performance bonus under Subsection (a) is in addition
1-18     to any other compensation the district would otherwise pay the
1-19     teacher.
1-20           (c)  A school district is required to pay performance bonuses
1-21     under this section only if state appropriations are specifically
1-22     provided for that purpose.
1-23           (d)  If the amount appropriated for purposes of this section
1-24     is not sufficient to pay a performance bonus prescribed under
 2-1     Subsection (a) to each eligible classroom teacher, a school
 2-2     district may reduce the amount of each teacher's bonus by an amount
 2-3     proportionately equal to the amount by which the amount
 2-4     appropriated is not sufficient.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  This Act applies to performance bonuses for
 2-6     public school teachers based on school campus performance ratings
 2-7     beginning with performance ratings for the 1999-2000 school year.
 2-8           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-13     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-14     passage, and it is so enacted.