By: Haywood S.B. No. 978
99S0423/1
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to the rulemaking authority of the State Board for
1-2 Educator Certification.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Subsection (b), Section 21.031, Education Code,
1-5 is amended to read as follows:
1-6 (b) In adopting [proposing] rules under this subchapter, the
1-7 board shall ensure that all candidates for certification or renewal
1-8 of certification demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to
1-9 improve the performance of the diverse student population of this
1-10 state.
1-11 SECTION 2. Subsections (b) and (c), Section 21.041,
1-12 Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
1-13 (b) The board shall adopt [propose] rules that:
1-14 (1) provide for the regulation of educators and the
1-15 general administration of this subchapter in a manner consistent
1-16 with this subchapter;
1-17 (2) specify the classes of educator certificates to be
1-18 issued, including emergency certificates;
1-19 (3) specify the period for which each class of
1-20 educator certificate is valid;
1-21 (4) specify the requirements for the issuance and
1-22 renewal of an educator certificate;
1-23 (5) provide for the issuance of an educator
1-24 certificate to a person who holds a similar certificate issued by
2-1 another state or foreign country, subject to Section 21.052;
2-2 (6) provide for special or restricted certification of
2-3 educators, including certification of instructors of American Sign
2-4 Language;
2-5 (7) provide for disciplinary proceedings, including
2-6 the suspension or revocation of an educator certificate, as
2-7 provided by Chapter 2001, Government Code;
2-8 (8) provide for the adoption, amendment, and
2-9 enforcement of an educator's code of ethics;
2-10 (9) provide for continuing education requirements; and
2-11 (10) provide for certification of persons performing
2-12 appraisals under Subchapter H.
2-13 (c) The board shall adopt [propose a rule adopting] a fee
2-14 for the issuance and maintenance of an educator certificate that is
2-15 adequate to cover the cost of administration of this subchapter.
2-16 SECTION 3. Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended to
2-17 read as follows:
2-18 Sec. 21.044. Educator Preparation. The board shall adopt
2-19 [propose] rules establishing the training requirements a person
2-20 must accomplish to obtain a certificate, enter an internship, or
2-21 enter an induction-year program. The board shall specify the
2-22 minimum academic qualifications required for a certificate.
2-23 SECTION 4. Subsections (a), (c), and (e), Section 21.045,
2-24 Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
2-25 (a) The board shall adopt [propose] rules establishing
2-26 standards to govern the approval and continuing accountability of
3-1 all educator preparation programs based on information that is
3-2 disaggregated with respect to sex and ethnicity and that includes:
3-3 (1) results of the certification examinations
3-4 prescribed under Section 21.048(a); and
3-5 (2) performance based on the appraisal system for
3-6 beginning teachers adopted by the board.
3-7 (c) The board shall adopt [propose] rules establishing
3-8 performance standards for the Accountability System for Educator
3-9 Preparation for accrediting educator preparation programs. At a
3-10 minimum, performance standards must be based on Subsection (a).
3-11 The board shall adopt [propose] rules for the sanction of educator
3-12 preparation programs and shall annually review the accreditation
3-13 status of each educator preparation program.
3-14 SECTION 5. Subsection (d), Section 21.046, Education Code,
3-15 is amended to read as follows:
3-16 (d) In creating the qualifications for certification as a
3-17 principal, the board shall consider the knowledge, skills, and
3-18 proficiencies for principals as developed by relevant national
3-19 organizations and as adopted by the State Board for Educator
3-20 Certification [of Education].
3-21 SECTION 6. Subsection (a), Section 21.048, Education Code,
3-22 is amended to read as follows:
3-23 (a) The board shall adopt [propose] rules prescribing
3-24 comprehensive examinations for each class of certificate issued by
3-25 the board.
3-26 SECTION 7. Section 21.049, Education Code, is amended to
4-1 read as follows:
4-2 Sec. 21.049. Alternative Certification. To provide a
4-3 continuing additional source of qualified educators, the board
4-4 shall adopt [propose] rules providing for educator certification
4-5 programs as an alternative to traditional educator preparation
4-6 programs. The rules may not provide that a person may be certified
4-7 under this section only if there is a demonstrated shortage of
4-8 educators in a school district or subject area.
4-9 SECTION 8. Subsection (b), Section 21.050, Education Code,
4-10 is amended to read as follows:
4-11 (b) The board may not require more than 18 semester credit
4-12 hours of education courses at the baccalaureate level for the
4-13 granting of a teaching certificate. The board shall provide for a
4-14 minimum number of semester credit hours of internship to be
4-15 included in the hours needed for certification. The board may
4-16 adopt [propose] rules requiring additional credit hours for
4-17 certification in bilingual education, English as a second language,
4-18 early childhood education, or special education.
4-19 SECTION 9. Section 21.051, Education Code, is amended to
4-20 read as follows:
4-21 Sec. 21.051. OPTIONS FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE AND INTERNSHIPS.
4-22 The board shall adopt [propose] rules providing flexible options
4-23 for persons for any field experience or internship required for
4-24 certification.
4-25 SECTION 10. Subsection (a), Section 21.054, Education Code,
4-26 is amended to read as follows:
5-1 (a) The board shall adopt [propose] rules establishing a
5-2 process for identifying continuing education courses and programs
5-3 that fulfill educators' continuing education requirements.
5-4 SECTION 11. Section 21.042, Education Code, is repealed.
5-5 SECTION 12. The importance of this legislation and the
5-6 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-7 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-8 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-9 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-10 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-11 passage, and it is so enacted.