By Duncan                                              S.B. No. 756
         76R1787 CAS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the Texas Teaching Fellows Commission.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
 1-5     Subchapter K to read as follows:
 1-6                 SUBCHAPTER K.  TEXAS TEACHING FELLOWS COMMISSION
 1-7           Sec. 21.501.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
 1-8                 (1)  "Commission" means the Texas Teaching Fellows
 1-9     Commission.
1-10                 (2)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
1-11     assigned by Section 61.003.
1-12                 (3)  "Program" means the teaching fellows program.
1-13           Sec. 21.502.  TEXAS TEACHING FELLOWS COMMISSION.  (a)  The
1-14     commission is composed of seven members as follows:
1-15                 (1)  the commissioner;
1-16                 (2)  two persons appointed by the governor;
1-17                 (3)  two persons appointed by the lieutenant governor;
1-18     and
1-19                 (4)  two persons appointed by the speaker of the house
1-20     of representatives.
1-21           (b)  The commissioner serves on the commission as an
1-22     additional duty of the office of commissioner.
1-23           (c)  In appointing members to the commission, each of the
1-24     appointing  officers shall:
 2-1                 (1)  appoint only persons who have demonstrated a
 2-2     commitment to public education; and
 2-3                 (2)  attempt to achieve a balanced membership
 2-4     representing, to the maximum extent practicable, the state as a
 2-5     whole.
 2-6           Sec. 21.503.  TERMS; VACANCY.  (a)  Appointed members of the
 2-7     commission serve for terms of two years expiring on January 31 of
 2-8     each odd-numbered year.
 2-9           (b)  If a vacancy occurs during the term of an appointed
2-10     member, the officer who made the appointment shall appoint a
2-11     replacement to fill the unexpired portion of the term.
2-12           Sec. 21.504.  APPLICATION OF SUNSET ACT.  The commission is
2-13     subject to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act).  Unless
2-14     continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the commission
2-15     is abolished and this subchapter expires September 1, 2005.
2-16           Sec. 21.505.  PRESIDING OFFICER.  The commissioner serves as
2-17     presiding officer of the commission.
2-18           Sec. 21.506.  PER DIEM; REIMBURSEMENT.  A member of the
2-19     commission is entitled to receive, as provided by the General
2-20     Appropriations Act:
2-21                 (1)  a per diem for any day the member is engaged in
2-22     actual and necessary business of the commission; and
2-23                 (2)  reimbursement for actual and necessary travel
2-24     expenses.
2-25           Sec. 21.507.  MEETINGS.  The commission shall meet regularly
2-26     at a time and place called by the presiding officer.
2-27           Sec. 21.508.  STAFF.  The agency shall provide staff and
 3-1     office space to the commission.
 3-2           Sec. 21.509.  ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.  (a)  The commission
 3-3     shall administer the program in cooperation with educator
 3-4     preparation programs selected by the commission.
 3-5           (b)  Under the program, the commission may provide to Texas
 3-6     high school students who intend to teach in public schools in this
 3-7     state loans of  $5,000 per year for four years to pay tuition and
 3-8     fees incurred in attending an educator preparation program.
 3-9           Sec. 21.510.  ADMISSION TO PROGRAM.  (a)  The commission by
3-10     rule shall establish very stringent standards, including a minimum
3-11     grade point average and a minimum  score on the Scholastic
3-12     Assessment Test (SAT) or American College Test, for awarding a loan
3-13     to ensure that only the most qualified high school seniors receive
3-14     the loans.  Not more than 2,000 students may receive loans under
3-15     this subchapter at any one time.
3-16           (b)  The commission shall form regional review committees to
3-17     assist in identifying the most qualified high school seniors for
3-18     the program.  The commission and the review committees shall
3-19     attempt to identify and encourage minority students and students
3-20     who may not otherwise consider a career in teaching to enter the
3-21     program.  The commission shall cooperate with the agency so that
3-22     the program and the recruitment program under Section 21.004 avoid
3-23     duplication of recruiting efforts.
3-24           Sec. 21.511.  FORM OF LOAN; TERMINATION.  (a)  Each loan
3-25     under this subchapter must be evidenced by a note made payable to
3-26     the commission and must bear interest at the rate of 10 percent per
3-27     year beginning September 1 after completion of the educator
 4-1     preparation program, or immediately after termination of the loan,
 4-2     whichever is earlier.
 4-3           (b)  The commission may terminate the loan if the recipient
 4-4     withdraws from  an educator preparation program or fails to
 4-5     maintain standards established by the commission.
 4-6           Sec. 21.512.  DEFERRAL OF REPAYMENT; FORGIVENESS OF LOAN.
 4-7     (a)  Before the seventh anniversary of the date a recipient
 4-8     graduates from an educator preparation program, the recipient is
 4-9     not required to repay the loan.
4-10           (b)  The commission shall forgive the loan if:
4-11                 (1)  on or before the seventh anniversary of the date
4-12     the recipient graduates from an educator preparation program, the
4-13     recipient has taught a subject that the commissioner has identified
4-14     under Section 21.004(d) as having a shortage of teachers and the
4-15     recipient has taught that subject:
4-16                       (A)  for at least four school years at a public
4-17     school in this state or at a school operated by the United States
4-18     in this state; or
4-19                       (B)  for at least three consecutive school years
4-20     at a school that is considered low-performing under Section
4-21     39.131(b);
4-22                 (2)  the recipient is unable to meet the requirements
4-23     of Subdivision (1)(A) because of the recipient's death; or
4-24                 (3)  the commission determines that it is impossible
4-25     for the recipient to meet the requirements of Subdivision (1)(A)
4-26     because of the recipient's permanent disability.
4-27           (c)  For purposes of Subsection (b)(1)(B), a recipient who
 5-1     teaches a total of three school years is considered to have taught
 5-2     consecutive school years despite a leave of absence if the leave of
 5-3     absence is approved by the school district employing the recipient.
 5-4           Sec. 21.513.  REVOLVING ACCOUNT.  (a)  Except as provided by
 5-5     Subsection (b), money appropriated to or otherwise received by the
 5-6     program for loans, money received as repayment of loans, and all
 5-7     interest earned on that money shall be placed in a revolving
 5-8     account that may be used only for a loan granted under the program.
 5-9           (b)  If provided in the General Appropriations Act, the
5-10     account may also be used for campus and summer program support and
5-11     costs related to disbursement of awards and collection of loan
5-12     repayments.
5-13           SECTION 2.  Section 21.004(c), Education Code, is amended to
5-14     read as follows:
5-15           (c)  The agency shall cooperate with the Texas Teaching
5-16     Fellows Commission so that the recruitment program under this
5-17     section and the teaching fellows program under Subchapter K avoid
5-18     duplication of recruiting efforts.  The Texas Higher Education
5-19     Coordinating Board shall cooperate with and assist the agency in
5-20     the development and implementation of the recruitment program.
5-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
5-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-25     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-26     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-27     passage, and it is so enacted.