1-1     By:  Barrientos, Madla                                 S.B. No. 980
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 1999; March 9, 1999, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 23, 1999,
 1-4     reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 1;
 1-5     April 23, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the creation and operation of a multicultural
 1-9     mathematics and science education cooperative to provide math and
1-10     science training to Texas elementary school teachers and
1-11     principals.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-14     Subchapter T to read as follows:
1-15                  SUBCHAPTER T.  MULTICULTURAL MATHEMATICS
1-16                      AND SCIENCE EDUCATION COOPERATIVE
1-17           Sec. 61.851.  ESTABLISHMENT OF MULTICULTURAL MATHEMATICS AND
1-18     SCIENCE EDUCATION COOPERATIVE.  (a)  The board shall establish a
1-19     multicultural mathematics and science education cooperative to
1-20     benefit Texas public elementary school teachers, principals,
1-21     students, and parents of students.
1-22           (b)  The board may adopt rules relating to the operation of
1-23     the education cooperative, including rules for the identification
1-24     of eligible schools and the content of any professional development
1-25     training.
1-26           Sec. 61.852.  PURPOSE OF COOPERATIVE.  The cooperative shall
1-27     provide a four-year cycle of systematic and intensive cognitive and
1-28     affective professional development training in mathematics and
1-29     science for classroom teachers and principals in elementary schools
1-30     in this state with a predominance of educationally disadvantaged
1-31     students. In providing professional development training, the
1-32     cooperative shall provide instruction to:
1-33                 (1)  increase the fundamental conceptual knowledge of
1-34     teachers and principals in mathematics, earth and life science, and
1-35     physical science;
1-36                 (2)  improve instructional skills, classroom practices,
1-37     and parental involvement; and
1-38                 (3)  improve the performance and classroom achievements
1-39     of students by training teachers and principals to recognize and
1-40     understand the special contexts and customary manners in which
1-41     children perceive and interpret scientific and mathematics
1-42     information.
1-43           Sec. 61.853.  FUNDING.  (a)  The board may use available
1-44     appropriated funds to administer this subchapter if that use is
1-45     consistent with the purposes for which the appropriation is made.
1-46           (b)  The board shall solicit and may accept gifts and grants
1-47     from any public or private source for the benefit of the
1-48     cooperative.
1-49           Sec. 61.854.  CONTRACT WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN.
1-50     (a)  The board shall contract with The University of Texas at
1-51     Austin to assist with the establishment and operation of the
1-52     cooperative.
1-53           (b)  The board, in executing a contract under this section,
1-54     may provide for the payment of a portion of the contract proceeds
1-55     based upon the achievement of certain contractual milestones.
1-56           SECTION 2.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
1-57     shall take all necessary steps to establish the multicultural
1-58     mathematics and science education cooperative under Subchapter T,
1-59     Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, and to begin
1-60     operating the cooperative not later than the beginning of the
1-61     2000-2001 school year.
1-62           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-63     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-64     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 2-3     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 2-4     passage, and it is so enacted.
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