SRC-MKV H.B. 1310 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1310
By: Salinas (Zaffirini)
Education
5/10/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Continuing education for classroom teachers is a means of improving
teaching skills and the caliber of classroom instruction. Teachers often do
not have the time or resources to engage in continuing education
opportunities. H.B. 1310 establishes the Texas Teachers' Excellence Program
to provide state-supported incentives to encourage teachers to become
certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding Subchapter M, as
follows: 

SUBCHAPTER M.  TEXAS TEACHERS' EXCELLENCE PROGRAM

Sec. 21.601.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "certification," "certification
examination," and "program." 

Sec. 21.602.  ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.  Requires the State Board for
Educator Certification to establish the Texas Teachers' Excellence Program
to encourage teachers to become certified by the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards.  Sets forth provisions relating to the
program. 
  
Sec. 21.603.  ELIGIBILITY.  Provides that a teacher is eligible for
financial assistance under Section 21.605 if the teacher meets certain
requirements. 
 
Sec. 21.604.  SELECTION COMMITTEE.  (a)  Requires that if the selection
committee appointed under this section receives not more than 100
applications in a fiscal year from eligible applicants for financial
assistance under Section 21.605, the committee accept the application of
each eligible applicant to receive financial assistance under Section
21.605. Requires the committee if it receives more than 100 applications in
a fiscal year from eligible applicants and accepting the applications of
all of the eligible applicants would result in the expenditure of an amount
of money greater than the amount available for that fiscal year for
financial awards under Section 21.605, to review all of the applications
and, from among the applicants, select not more than 100 eligible
applicants to receive financial assistance under Section 21.605.  

  (b)  Sets forth the composition of the committee.

(c)  Requires at least one member appointed by the State Board for Educator
Certification and at least one member appointed by the State Board of
Education to be  a teacher who is certified by the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards. 

 (d)  Provides that members serve staggered terms of six years, with the
terms of as near as possible to one-third of the members expiring on
February 1 of each even-numbered year.  

 (e)  Requires the commissioner to appoint the presiding officer from among
the members of the committee.  

 (f)  Requires the committee to meet at least once each year in Austin on a
date determined by the presiding officer and may hold other meetings as
necessary at the call of the presiding officer or of at least two-thirds of
the members of the committee.  

 (g)  Provides that a member of the committee is not entitled to
compensation.  Entitles a member of the committee to reimbursement of
actual and necessary expenses incurred in conducting the business of the
committee.  

Sec. 21.605.  FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE; LEAVE.  (a)  Requires the State Board
for Educator Certification, to the extent authorized under Subsection (b),
to pay the application fee for the certification examination for each
teacher selected by the selection committee. 

 (b)  Requires the board to establish the amount of a payment under
Subsection (a), except that the amount may not exceed certain amounts. 
 
 (c)  Entitles a teacher selected by the committee to three days of leave
to prepare the application for certification in addition to any other leave
to which a teacher is entitled under this code or district policy.  

Sec. 21.606.  REIMBURSEMENT.  (a)  Requires a teacher who receives
financial assistance under Section 21.605 but fails to complete training
for the certification examination, to take the certification examination,
or to teach at least one school year in a public school after earning
certification to reimburse the State Board for Educator Certification for
the money received under Section 21.605 unless the board determines that
the teacher is not required to pay reimbursement because the teacher's
failure is due to extenuating circumstances.  Authorizes a teacher to
appeal the board's decision to the selection committee in the manner and
within the period prescribed by the selection committee.  

 (b)  Provides that a teacher who completes training for certification but
fails to perform satisfactorily on the certification examination is not
required to pay reimbursement under this section.  

Sec. 21.607.  SALARY STIPENDS.  Sets forth provisions relating to salary
stipends. 

Sec. 21.608.  FUNDING.  Sets forth provisions relating to funding.

Sec. 21.609.  EVALUATION OF TEACHERS HOLDING NATIONAL CERTIFICATION. (a)
Requires the commissioner to develop an assessment system for evaluating
teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards. Requires the system to meet certain requirements. 
  
 (b)  Requires that, using the assessment system developed under Subsection
(a), the commissioner evaluate teachers certified by the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards who receive a stipend under Section 21.607.
Requires a district to renew a teacher's stipend  every three years if the
teacher meets the criteria for stipend renewal established by the
commissioner. 
 
SECTION 2.  Amends Section 822.201(b), Government Code, to redefine "salary
and wages." 

SECTION 3.  (a)  Provides that initial appointees to the selection
committee under Section 21.604, Education Code, as added by this Act, take
office February 1, 2002.  

(b)  Requires the State Board for Educator Certification to designate one
of its initial appointees to the selection committee to serve a term
expiring February 1, 2006, and one of its initial appointees to serve a
term expiring February 1, 2008. Requires the State Board of Education to
designate one of its initial appointees to the selection committee to serve
a term expiring February 1, 2006, and one of its initial appointees to
serve a term expiring February 1, 2008. Provides that the initial appointee
of the commissioner of education serves a term expiring February 1, 2004.
Provides that, thereafter, members of the committee serve terms of six
years in accordance with Section 21.604, Education Code, as added by this
Act.  

(c)  Provides that Section 21.607(a), Education Code, as added by this Act,
does not entitle a classroom teacher to a salary stipend for a year before
the effective date of this Act during which the teacher held National Board
for Professional Teaching Standards certification. 

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2001.