By: Cain S.B. No. 1616
Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 relating to compensation and preparation of public school teachers
1-2 and the financing thereof.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Title 2, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-5 Chapter 47 to read as follows:
1-6 CHAPTER 47. EDUCATOR PAY RAISE ALLOTMENT.
1-7 Sec. 47.001. Definition. In this chapter, "educator" means
1-8 all classroom teachers or full-time librarians.
1-9 Sec. 47.002. Educator Pay Raise Allotment. (a) For each
1-10 year, a school district is guaranteed a specific allotment in state
1-11 funds for a certain number of cents of tax effort to pay for raises
1-12 for educators. The allotment is the lesser of:
1-13 (1) ((ERGL-AL) X RAISE X SBC)/AL
1-14 Where:
1-15 "ERGL" is the educator raise guaranteed level of state and
1-16 local funds per weighted student per cent of tax effort, which is
1-17 $42 or a greater amount for any year provided by the Appropriations
1-18 Act;
1-19 "AL" is the dollar amount of state and local funds raised per
1-20 weighted student per cent of tax effort, which is the greater of:
1-21 (i) GL, as defined in Section 42.302;
1-22 (ii) the quotient of the district's taxable
2-1 value of property as determined under Subchapter M, Chapter 403,
2-2 Government Code, divided by weighted average daily attendance,
2-3 divided by 10,000;
2-4 (iii) the quotient of the equalized wealth
2-5 level, as defined in Section 41.002, divided by 10,000, for those
2-6 districts defined in Chapter 41, Education Code; or
2-7 (iv) the quotient of the wealth level, for
2-8 districts to which Section 41.002(e), Education Code is applicable,
2-9 divided by weighted average daily attendance, divided by 10,000.
2-10 "WADA" is weighted average daily attendance as defined in
2-11 Section 42.302.
2-12 "RAISE" is the pay raise factor, which, for 1999-2000, is
2-13 .05, or a greater number to be specified in the Appropriations Act,
2-14 and which, for 2000-2001, is .10, or a greater number to be
2-15 specified in the Appropriations Act. For years thereafter, RAISE
2-16 shall be no less than the fund amount per weighted average daily
2-17 attendance paid by the state in 2000-2001 share, or a greater
2-18 number as specified in the Appropriations Act;
2-19 "SBC" is the school district's reported cost for all salaries
2-20 and benefits paid the second year of the preceding biennium to its
2-21 educators, as reported through the Public Education Information
2-22 Management System, under rules adopted by the commissioner; or:
2-23 (2) the maximum amount the district increases its
2-24 salaries and benefits for current year classroom teachers and
2-25 full-time librarians, not including the cost of increases required
2-26 under a policy adopted by a Board of Trustees for the 1998-1999
3-1 school year as that policy would apply if applicable or readopted
3-2 for subsequent school years.
3-3 (b) The allotment shall be distributed by each school
3-4 district in a manner that provides an equal percentage increase to
3-5 all teachers in the district, to the maximum extent possible.
3-6 (c) Districts subject to Section 41.003, who choose options
3-7 (3) or (4) of that section, shall have the cumulative cost of
3-8 purchasing average daily attendance credits or contracting for the
3-9 education of nonresident students reduced by the amount of the
3-10 allotment, defined in subsection (a), in lieu of receiving the
3-11 allotment under this Chapter.
3-12 (d) If the allotment, as defined in subsection (a), is
3-13 greater than the cumulative cost of purchasing average daily
3-14 attendance credits or contracting for the education of nonresident
3-15 students, a district shall not be required to achieve the equalized
3-16 wealth level and shall receive that portion of the allotment that
3-17 exceeds the cumulative amount.
3-18 (e) If AL, for a given district, exceeds ERGL, as these
3-19 terms are defined in subsection (a), the district shall not receive
3-20 an allotment under this section.
3-21 SECTION 2. Section 42.007, Education Code, is amended to
3-22 read:
3-23 (c) The funding elements must include:
3-24 (1) a basic allotment for the purposes of Section
3-25 42.101 that, when combined with the guaranteed yield component
3-26 provided by Subchapter F, represents the cost per student of a
4-1 regular education program that meets all mandates of law and
4-2 regulation;
4-3 (2) adjustments designed to reflect the variation in
4-4 known resource costs and costs of education beyond the control of
4-5 school districts;
4-6 (3) appropriate program cost differentials and other
4-7 funding elements for the programs authorized under Subchapter C,
4-8 with the program funding level expressed as dollar amounts and as
4-9 weights applied to the adjusted basic allotment for the appropriate
4-10 year;
4-11 (4) the maximum guaranteed level of qualified state
4-12 and local funds per student for the purposes of Subchapter F;
4-13 (5) the enrichment and facilities tax rate under
4-14 Subchapter F;
4-15 (6) the computation of students in weighted average
4-16 daily attendance under Section 42.302; [and]
4-17 (7) the amount to be appropriated for the school
4-18 facilities assistance program under Chapter 46[.]; and
4-19 (8) the amount to be appropriated for the educator pay
4-20 raise allotment under Chapter 47.
4-21 (d) The board shall conduct a study on the funding elements
4-22 each biennium, as appropriate. This should include a study of the
4-23 cost to the state each biennium to ensure that each school district
4-24 could maintain existing programs at existing tax rates assuming no
4-25 student growth without raising local property taxes.
4-26 SECTION 3. Section 403.302(d), Government Code, as amended
5-1 by Chapters 1039, 1040, and 1071, Acts of the 75th Legislature,
5-2 Regular Session, 1997, is reenacted and amended to read as follows:
5-3 (d) for purposes of this section, "taxable value" means the
5-4 market value of all taxable property less:
5-5 (1) the total dollar amount of any residence homestead
5-6 exemptions lawfully granted under Section 11.13(b) or (c), Tax
5-7 Code, in the year that is the subject of the study for each school
5-8 district;
5-9 (2) the total dollar amount of any exemptions granted
5-10 before May 31, 1993, within the reinvestment zone under agreements
5-11 authorized by Chapter 312, Tax Code;
5-12 (3) subject to Subsection (e), the total dollar amount
5-13 of any captured appraised value of property that is located in a
5-14 reinvestment zone [on August 31, 1999], [that] generates a tax
5-15 increment paid into a tax increment fund, and is eligible for tax
5-16 increment financing under Chapter 311, Tax Code, under a
5-17 reinvestment zone financing plan approved under Section 311.011(d),
5-18 Tax Code, before September 1, 1999.
5-19 (4) the total dollar amount of any exemptions granted
5-20 under Section 11.251, Tax Code;
5-21 (5) the difference between the comptroller's estimate
5-22 of the market value and the productivity value of land that
5-23 qualifies for appraisal on the basis of its productive capacity,
5-24 except that the productivity value estimated by the comptroller may
5-25 not exceed the fair market value of the land;
5-26 (6) the portion of the appraised value of residence
6-1 homesteads of the elderly on which school district taxes are not
6-2 imposed in the year that is the subject of the study, calculated as
6-3 if the residence homesteads were appraised at the full value
6-4 required by law;
6-5 (7) a portion of the market value of property not
6-6 otherwise fully taxable by the district at market value because of
6-7 action required by statute or the constitution of this state that,
6-8 if the tax rate adopted by the district is applied do it, produces
6-9 an amount equal to the difference between the tax that the district
6-10 would have imposed on the property if the property were fully
6-11 taxable at market value and the tax that the district is actually
6-12 authorized to impose on the property, if this subsection does not
6-13 otherwise require that portion to be deducted;
6-14 (8) the market value of all tangible personal
6-15 property, other than manufactured homes, owned by a family or
6-16 individual and not hold or used for the production of income;
6-17 (9) the appraised value of property the collection of
6-18 delinquent taxes on which is deferred under Section 33.06, Tax
6-19 Code;
6-20 (10) the portion of the appraised value of property
6-21 the collection of delinquent taxes on which is deferred under
6-22 Section 33.065, Tax Code; and
6-23 (11) the amount by which the market value of a
6-24 residence homestead to which Section 23.23, Tax Code, applies
6-25 exceeds the appraised value of that property as calculated under
6-26 that section.
7-1 SECTION 4. Sections 403.302(e)-(g), Government Code, are
7-2 amended to read as follows:
7-3 (e) Subsection (d) (3) applies only to the captured
7-4 appraised value of:
7-5 (1) real property that is located in the reinvestment
7-6 zone before September 1, 1999; or
7-7 (2) an improvement to real property described by
7-8 Subdivision (1), regardless of the date the improvement is made.
7-9 (f) The study shall determine the values as of January 1 of
7-10 each year.
7-11 (g)[f] The comptroller shall publish preliminary findings,
7-12 listing values by district, before February 1 of the year following
7-13 the year of the study. Preliminary findings shall be delivered to
7-14 each school district and shall be certified to the commissioner of
7-15 education.
7-16 (h)[g] On request of the commissioner of education or a
7-17 school district, the comptroller may audit a school district to
7-18 determine the total taxable value of property in the school
7-19 district, including the productivity values of land only if the
7-20 land qualifies for appraisal on that basis and the owner of the
7-21 land has applied for and received a productivity appraisal. The
7-22 comptroller shall certify the comptroller's findings to the
7-23 commissioner.
7-24 SECTION 5. Section 403.303(a), Government Code, is amended
7-25 to read as follows:
7-26 (a) A school district or a property owner whose property is
8-1 included in the study under Section 403.302 and whose tax liability
8-2 on the property is $100,000 or more may protest the comptroller's
8-3 findings under Section 403.302(g)[403.302(f)] or (h)[(g)] by filing
8-4 a petition with the comptroller. The petition must be filed not
8-5 later than the 40th day after the date on which the comptroller's
8-6 findings are certified to the commissioner of education and must
8-7 specify the grounds for objection and the value claimed to be
8-8 correct by the school district or property owner.
8-9 SECTION 6. Section 44.004, Education Code, is amended to
8-10 read:
8-11 Section 44.004. Notice, Hearing and Vote on Budget Meeting;
8-12 Budget Adoption and Tax Rate.
8-13 (b) The president shall provide for the publication of
8-14 notice of the budget and proposed tax rate meeting in a daily,
8-15 weekly, or biweekly newspaper published in the district. If no
8-16 daily, weekly, or biweekly newspaper is published in the district,
8-17 the president shall provide for the publication of notice in at
8-18 least one newspaper of general circulation in the county in which
8-19 the district's central administration office is located. [Notice
8-20 published under this subsection is in addition to notice required
8-21 by other law.] Notice under this subsection shall be published not
8-22 earlier than the 30th day or later than the 10th day before the
8-23 date of the hearing. [A district may include the notice required
8-24 under Section 26.06, Tax Code.]
8-25 The Notice of Public Hearing to Discuss Budget and Proposed
8-26 Tax Rate may not be smaller than one-quarter page of a
9-1 standard-size or a tabloid-size newspaper, and the headline on the
9-2 notice must be in 18-point or larger type. The notice must:
9-3 (1) contain a statement in the following form:
9-4 "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS BUDGET AND PROPOSED TAX RATE
9-5 "The (name of the taxing unit) will hold a public hearing at
9-6 (time, date, year) in (name of room, building, physical location,
9-7 city, state). The purpose of this hearing is to discuss the school
9-8 district's budget which will determine the tax rate that will be
9-9 adopted. Public participation in the discussion is invited." In
9-10 reduced type shall be printed the following information: "The tax
9-11 rate that is ultimately adopted at this hearing or at a separate
9-12 hearing at a later date may not exceed the proposed rate shown
9-13 below without publication of a revised notice containing the same
9-14 information and comparisons set out below."
9-15 (2) contain the following section to be entitled:
9-16 "Comparison of Proposed Rates with Current Year's Adopted Rate",
9-17 which shall calculate the tax rates in (A-C), expressed as an
9-18 amount per $100, for columns entitled "Maintenance & Operations,"
9-19 "Interest & Sinking," and "Total":
9-20 (A) the unit's "Adopted tax rate for the
9-21 preceding year";
9-22 (B) the "Tax rate required to maintain the same
9-23 level of maintenance & operations revenue and pay debt service;"
9-24 and
9-25 (C) and the "Proposed Tax Rate";
9-26 A fourth column shall show a total revenue per student figure,
10-1 including state and local funds, opposite each of the above tax
10-2 rates. The total revenue per student figure shown opposite the
10-3 preceding year's tax rates and the tax rates to maintain the same
10-4 level of revenue, respectively, is the total state and local
10-5 revenue per student for the preceding year. The total revenue per
10-6 student figure shown opposite the proposed tax rates is the total
10-7 state and local revenue per student that would result from the
10-8 application of the proposed tax rates to the district's appraisal
10-9 roll for the school year to which the proposed budget will apply as
10-10 certified by the chief appraiser pursuant to Sec. 26.01, Tax Code.
10-11 This section shall contain an asterisk after each calculation
10-12 for Interest & Sinking plus an explanation at the bottom of the
10-13 section that shall say "The Interest and Sinking Tax Revenue is
10-14 used to pay for bonded indebtedness on construction and/or
10-15 equipment. The bonds, and the rate necessary to pay those bonds,
10-16 were approved by the voters of this district in elections held
10-17 (dates of elections)."
10-18 (3) contain the following section, to be entitled:
10-19 "Comparison of Proposed Levy with Last Year's Levy on Average
10-20 Residence", that will contain information, rounded to the nearest
10-21 dollar, for the previous year and the current year for the same
10-22 residence for the following categories:
10-23 (A) "Average Appraised Value of Residences";
10-24 (B) "Average Taxable Value of Residences, after
10-25 Homestead Exemptions";
10-26 (C) "Last Year's Rate versus Proposed Rate per
11-1 $100 value";
11-2 (D) "Taxes Due on Average Residence";
11-3 (4) contain the following information:
11-4 "Increase/Decrease in Taxes" expressed in dollars and cents, which
11-5 is calculated by subtracting last year's taxes due on average
11-6 residence with this year's taxes due on average residence under the
11-7 proposed rate.
11-8 (5) contain the statement in bold print: "Under state
11-9 law, the school taxes due on the homestead of anyone over the age
11-10 of 65 years old cannot be increased above the amount paid in the
11-11 first year after turning 65 years of age, regardless of changes in
11-12 tax rate."
11-13 (6) contain the following statement in bold print:
11-14 "Notice of Rollback Rate: The highest tax rate the district can
11-15 adopt before requiring voter approval via an election is (the
11-16 product of effective maintenance and operations tax rate multiplied
11-17 by 1.08 added to the current debt rate, as defined in Section
11-18 26.04, Tax Code). This election will be automatically held if the
11-19 district adopts a rate in excess of the rollback rate of (the
11-20 product of effective maintenance and operations tax rate multiplied
11-21 by 1.08 added to the current debt rate, as defined in Section
11-22 26.04, Tax Code)."
11-23 (7) contain the following section entitled: "Fund
11-24 Balances" which will include the following information:
11-25 (A) Fund Balance to be spent in this budget;
11-26 (B) Fund Balance Texas Education Agency
12-1 Recommends to be Maintained;
12-2 (C) Designated Unreserved Fund Balance for
12-3 Future Construction; and
12-4 (D) Excess Fund Balance.
12-5 (c) The comptroller by rule shall prescribe the language and
12-6 format to be used in the part of the notice required by Subsection
12-7 (b). A notice under Subsection (b) is not valid if it does not
12-8 substantially conform to the language and format prescribed by the
12-9 comptroller under this subsection.
12-10 SECTION 7. Section 26.06, Tax Code, is amended to read:
12-11 (b) All units, except school districts who shall follow
12-12 requirements in Section 44.004, Education Code, shall post a notice
12-13 regarding the public hearing. The notice of a public hearing may
12-14 not be smaller than one-quarter page of a standard-size or a
12-15 tabloid-size newspaper, and the headline on the notice must be in
12-16 18-point or larger type. The notice must:
12-17 (1) contain a statement in the following form:
12-18 "NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON TAX INCREASE
12-19 "The (name of the taxing unit) will hold a public hearing on
12-20 a proposal to increase total tax revenues from properties on the
12-21 tax roll by (percentage by which taxes to be imposed under proposed
12-22 tax rate exceed last year's levy) percent. Your individual taxes
12-23 may increase or decrease, depending on the change in the taxable
12-24 value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value
12-25 of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted.
12-26 "The public hearing will be held on (date and time) at
13-1 (meeting place).
13-2 "(Names of all members of the governing body, showing how
13-3 each voted on the proposal to consider the increase in total tax
13-4 revenues or, if one or more were absent, indicating the
13-5 absences.)"; and
13-6 (2) contain the following information:
13-7 (A) the unit's adopted tax rate for the
13-8 preceding year and the proposed tax rate, expressed as an amount
13-9 per $100;
13-10 (B) the difference, expressed as an amount per
13-11 $100 and as a percent increase or decrease, as applicable, in the
13-12 proposed tax rate compared to the adopted tax rate for the
13-13 preceding year;
13-14 (C) the average appraised value of a residence
13-15 homestead in the taxing unit in the preceding year and in the
13-16 current year; the unit's homestead exemption, other than an
13-17 exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of
13-18 age or older, applicable to that appraised value in each of those
13-19 years; and the average taxable value of a residence homestead in
13-20 the unit in each of those years, disregarding any homestead
13-21 exemption available only to disabled persons or persons 65 years of
13-22 age or older;
13-23 (D) the amount of tax that would have been
13-24 imposed by the unit in the preceding year on a residence homestead
13-25 appraised at the average appraised value of a residence homestead
13-26 in that year, disregarding any homestead exemption available only
14-1 to disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older;
14-2 (E) the amount of tax that would be imposed by
14-3 the unit in the current year on a residence homestead appraised at
14-4 the average appraised value of a residence homestead in the current
14-5 year, disregarding any homestead exemption available only to
14-6 disabled persons or persons 65 years of age or older, if the
14-7 proposed tax rate is adopted; and
14-8 (F) the difference between the amounts of tax
14-9 calculated under Paragraphs (D) and (E), expressed in dollars and
14-10 cents and described as the annual increase or decrease, as
14-11 applicable, in the tax to be imposed by the unit on the average
14-12 residence homestead in the unit in the current year if the proposed
14-13 tax rate is adopted.
14-14 (c) The notice may be delivered by mail to each property
14-15 owner in the unit, or it may be published in a newspaper. If the
14-16 notice is published in a newspaper, it may not be in the part of
14-17 the paper in which legal notices and classified advertisements
14-18 appear.
14-19 (d) At the public hearing the governing body shall announce
14-20 the date, time, and place of the meeting at which it will vote on
14-21 the proposed tax rate to increase total tax revenues. After the
14-22 hearing, units except school districts which follow Section 44.004,
14-23 Education Code,[it] shall give notice of the meeting at which [it]
14-24 these units will vote on the proposed tax rate to increase total
14-25 tax revenues and the notice shall be in the same form as prescribed
14-26 by Subsections (b) and (c), except that it must state the
15-1 following:
15-2 "NOTICE OF VOTE ON TAX RATE
15-3 "The (name of the taxing unit) conducted a public hearing on
15-4 a proposal to increase the total tax revenues of the (name of the
15-5 taxing unit) by (percentage by which taxes to be imposed under
15-6 proposed tax rate exceed last year's levy) percent on (date and
15-7 time public hearing was conducted).
15-8 "The (governing body of the taxing unit) is scheduled to vote
15-9 on the tax rate that will result in that tax increase at a public
15-10 meeting to be held on (date and time) at (meeting place)."
15-11 (e) The meeting to vote on the increase may not be earlier
15-12 than the third day or later than the 14th day after the date of the
15-13 public hearing. The meeting must be held inside the boundaries of
15-14 the unit in a publicly owned building or, if a suitable publicly
15-15 owned building is not available, in a suitable building to which
15-16 the public normally has access. If the governing body does not
15-17 adopt a rate that would impose an amount of taxes that exceeds last
15-18 year's levy by the 14th day, it must give a new notice under
15-19 Subsection (d) before it may adopt a rate that would impose an
15-20 amount of taxes that exceeds last year's levy.
15-21 (f) The comptroller by rule shall prescribe the language and
15-22 format to be used in the part of the notice required by Subsection
15-23 (b) (2), except for school districts that follow Section 44.004,
15-24 Education Code. A notice under Subsection (b) is not valid if it
15-25 does not substantially conform to the language and format
15-26 prescribed by the comptroller under this subsection.
16-1 SECTION 8. SECTION 42.102, Education Code, shall be amended
16-2 to read:
16-3 (a) The basic allotment for each district is adjusted to
16-4 reflect the geographic variation in known resource costs and costs
16-5 of education due to factors beyond the control of the school
16-6 district.
16-7 (b) The cost of education adjustment is determined by
16-8 adjusting the cost of education index [adjustment] adopted by the
16-9 foundation school fund budget committee and contained in Chapter
16-10 203, Title 19, Texas Administrative Code, as that chapter existed
16-11 on March 26, 1997, to reflect the most recent available data.
16-12 (c) Repealed by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1071, eff. Sept.
16-13 1, 1997.
16-14 SECTION 9. SECTION 57.043, Utilities Code, is amended by
16-15 adding subsection (y) as follows:
16-16 (y) for the years 2000-2003, money appropriated to the board
16-17 shall fund training for all Texas public school teachers in the use
16-18 of computers and technology for administrative and curriculum
16-19 enhancement purposes.
16-20 SECTION 10. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
16-21 Subchapter K to read as follows:
16-22 SUBCHAPTER K. TEACH FOR TEXAS PROGRAM
16-23 Sec. 21.501. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
16-24 (1) "Board" means the State Board for Educator
16-25 Certification.
16-26 (2) "Program" means the Teach for Texas Program.
17-1 (3) "Public junior college" and "public senior college
17-2 or university" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
17-3 Sec. 21.502. DEVELOPMENT. The board shall propose rules for
17-4 establishing the Teach for Texas Program to attract persons to the
17-5 teaching profession who otherwise may be unable to teach because of
17-6 financial or other barriers and to provide for certification of
17-7 those persons.
17-8 Sec. 21.503. STRUCTURE. The program consists of:
17-9 (1) a professional tier to attract to the teaching
17-10 profession persons employed in other professions who have expressed
17-11 interest in teaching and whose skills are easily transferrable to
17-12 the classroom; and
17-13 (2) a student tier to attract to the teaching
17-14 profession students who are entering the sophomore or junior years
17-15 at a public junior college or public senior college or university
17-16 and who have expressed interest in teaching.
17-17 Sec. 21.504. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS. The board shall
17-18 propose alternative certification requirements under Section
17-19 21.049:
17-20 (1) for persons in the professional tier of the
17-21 program that:
17-22 (A) take into account the value of a person's
17-23 current skills;
17-24 (B) limit the necessity of a person leaving
17-25 current employment to pursue certification under the program;
17-26 (C) maximize the use of integrated coursework
18-1 under Section 61.0514; and
18-2 (D) do not compromise the integrity of educator
18-3 certification in this state; and
18-4 (2) for persons in the student tier of the program
18-5 that:
18-6 (A) maximize the use of integrated coursework
18-7 under Section 61.0514; and
18-8 (B) do not compromise the integrity of educator
18-9 certification in this state.
18-10 Sec. 21.505. FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. (a) The program must
18-11 offer to participants financial incentives, including tuition
18-12 assistance and loan forgiveness. In offering a financial
18-13 incentive, the board shall:
18-14 (1) require a contract between each participant who
18-15 accepts a financial incentive and the board under which the
18-16 participant is obligated to teach in a public school in this state
18-17 for a stated period after certification;
18-18 (2) provide financial incentives in proportion to the
18-19 length of the period the person is obligated by contract to teach
18-20 after certification; and
18-21 (3) give special financial incentives to a participant
18-22 who agrees in the contract to teach in an underserved area.
18-23 (b) Financial incentives are payable from funds appropriated
18-24 for that purpose and from gifts, grants, and donations solicited by
18-25 the board for that purpose.
18-26 Sec. 21.506. PROGRAM ELEMENTS. The program must:
19-1 (1) allow a participant to complete internship or
19-2 fieldwork requirements during the summer to the greatest extent
19-3 practicable;
19-4 (2) take into account the special needs of substitute
19-5 teachers and create incentives for substitute teachers to become
19-6 certified to teach; and
19-7 (3) offer health insurance to each person who leaves
19-8 employment to complete internship or fieldwork requirements.
19-9 Sec. 21.507. MEDIA CAMPAIGN. The board, working jointly
19-10 with other state agencies involved in public education matters,
19-11 shall conduct a coordinated media campaign to educate professionals
19-12 and students about the program. The media campaign must emphasize:
19-13 (1) the importance of teaching as a profession;
19-14 (2) the short-term commitment to the program required
19-15 of participants; and
19-16 (3) the value of the experience offered by the
19-17 program.
19-18 SECTION 11. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
19-19 amended by adding Section 21.0441 to read as follows:
19-20 Sec. 21.0441. COOPERATION WITH TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION
19-21 COORDINATING BOARD. The board shall cooperate with and advise the
19-22 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in adoption by the
19-23 coordinating board of rule for educator preparation program
19-24 curriculum guidelines under Section 61.0514.
19-25 SECTION 12. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
19-26 amended by adding Section 61.0514 to read as follows:
20-1 Sec. 61.0514. INTEGRATED COURSEWORK. The board by rule, in
20-2 cooperation with and with the advice of the State Board for
20-3 Educator Certification, shall adopt educator preparation program
20-4 curriculum guideline under which educator preparation courses, to
20-5 the greatest extent practicable, integrate subject matter material
20-6 with material concerning classroom teaching techniques in order to
20-7 minimize the coursework necessary to obtain educator certification
20-8 under Subchapter B, Chapter 21.
20-9 SECTION 13. Not later than August 15, 2000, the Texas Higher
20-10 Education Coordinating Board shall adopt rules in accordance with
20-11 Section 61.0514, Education Code, as added by this Act, and shall
20-12 distribute the rules to public junior colleges and public senior
20-13 colleges and universities in this state. Public junior colleges
20-14 and public senior colleges and universities shall offer courses in
20-15 accordance with those rules beginning with the fall semester of the
20-16 2002-2003 academic year.
20-17 SECTION 14. This Act takes effect August 31, 1999.
20-18 SECTION 15. The importance of this legislation and the
20-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
20-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
20-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
20-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
20-23 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
20-24 passage, and it is so enacted.