By: Barrientos, Madla S.B. No. 980 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to the creation and operation of a multicultural 1-2 mathematics and science education cooperative to provide math and 1-3 science training to Texas elementary school teachers and 1-4 principals. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-7 Subchapter T to read as follows: 1-8 SUBCHAPTER T. MULTICULTURAL MATHEMATICS 1-9 AND SCIENCE EDUCATION COOPERATIVE 1-10 Sec. 61.851. ESTABLISHMENT OF MULTICULTURAL MATHEMATICS AND 1-11 SCIENCE EDUCATION COOPERATIVE. (a) The board shall establish a 1-12 multicultural mathematics and science education cooperative to 1-13 benefit Texas public elementary school teachers, principals, 1-14 students, and parents of students. 1-15 (b) The board may adopt rules relating to the operation of 1-16 the education cooperative, including rules for the identification 1-17 of eligible schools and the content of any professional development 1-18 training. 1-19 Sec. 61.852. PURPOSE OF COOPERATIVE. The cooperative shall 1-20 provide a four-year cycle of systematic and intensive cognitive and 1-21 affective professional development training in mathematics and 1-22 science for classroom teachers and principals in elementary schools 1-23 in this state with a predominance of educationally disadvantaged 1-24 students. In providing professional development training, the 2-1 cooperative shall provide instruction to: 2-2 (1) increase the fundamental conceptual knowledge of 2-3 teachers and principals in mathematics, earth and life science, and 2-4 physical science; 2-5 (2) improve instructional skills, classroom practices, 2-6 and parental involvement; and 2-7 (3) improve the performance and classroom achievements 2-8 of students by training teachers and principals to recognize and 2-9 understand the special contexts and customary manners in which 2-10 children perceive and interpret scientific and mathematics 2-11 information. 2-12 Sec. 61.853. FUNDING. (a) The board may use available 2-13 appropriated funds to administer this subchapter if that use is 2-14 consistent with the purposes for which the appropriation is made. 2-15 (b) The board shall solicit and may accept gifts and grants 2-16 from any public or private source for the benefit of the 2-17 cooperative. 2-18 Sec. 61.854. CONTRACT WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. 2-19 (a) The board shall contract with The University of Texas at 2-20 Austin to assist with the establishment and operation of the 2-21 cooperative. 2-22 (b) The board, in executing a contract under this section, 2-23 may provide for the payment of a portion of the contract proceeds 2-24 based upon the achievement of certain contractual milestones. 2-25 SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board 2-26 shall take all necessary steps to establish the multicultural 3-1 mathematics and science education cooperative under Subchapter T, 3-2 Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, and to begin 3-3 operating the cooperative not later than the beginning of the 3-4 2000-2001 school year. 3-5 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect only if a specific 3-6 appropriation for the implementation of this Act is provided in 3-7 H.B. No. 1 (General Appropriations Act), Acts of the 76th 3-8 Legislature, Regular Session, 1999. If no specific appropriation 3-9 is provided in H.B. No. 1, the General Appropriations Act, this Act 3-10 has no effect. 3-11 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 3-12 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-13 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-14 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-15 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 3-16 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 3-17 passage, and it is so enacted.