SRC-MKV S.B. 852 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 852
77R5531 BDH-DBy: Harris
Education
4/30/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas is facing an extreme teacher shortage.  Over 40,000
teaching positions went unfilled in the 1998-1999 school year, the last
year for which statistics are available.  In addition, teachers are leaving
the profession in large numbers.  As proposed, S.B. 852 provides for
teacher mentoring programs, alternative certification of teachers, and
parental notification of the teaching qualifications of a district's
teachers. 

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 21A, Education Code, by adding Section 21.005,
as follows: 

Sec. 21.005.  TEACHER MENTOR AND INDUCTION PROGRAMS.  Requires the
commissioner of education (commissioner), to the extent funds are
available, to make grants to school districts of $3,000 for each new
teacher employed by the district who holds a certificate under Section
21.049 or a permit under Section 21.055; and $1,000 for each new teacher
employed by the district who holds a certificate under Section 21.044 or
21.052. 

(b) Requires a school district to use money received under Subsection (a)
only to support one or more of certain programs in the district. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Chapter 21B, Education Code, by adding Section 21.0491,
as follows: 

Sec. 21.0491.  ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION OF PERSON HOLDING BACHELOR'S
DEGREE.  (a) Authorizes the State Board for Educator Certification to issue
a teaching certificate to a person who meets certain requirements, in
addition to issuing teaching certificates to person to whom Section 21.050
applies. 

(b) Authorizes a person who holds a bachelor's degree with an academic
major related to only one area of the curriculum prescribed under Chapter
28A to receive a certificate to teach only in that subject area. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 21.057, Education Code, to require a school
district to provide notice to parents of students regarding the
qualifications of district teachers not less than once each school year.
Requires the Texas Education Agency (agency) to develop guidelines
regarding the notice to be provided, and requires each school district to
determine the format and manner of distribution of the notice.  Requires
the notice provided for each teacher to identify certain information.
Deletes language regarding a school district that assigns an
inappropriately certified or uncertified teacher to the same classroom for
more than 30 consecutive days.  Deletes definition of "inappropriately
certified or uncertified teacher." 
 
SECTION 4.  Amends Chapter 21I, Education Code, by adding Section 21.411,
as follows: 

Sec. 21.411.  BONUSES FOR SERVICE AT LOW-PERFORMING SCHOOL CAMPUS. (a)
Entitles a teacher or principal who is identified by the commissioner as an
experienced, extraordinary educator and who agrees to serve for three years
at a school campus that is identified as low-performing by the commissioner
to a bonus of $3,000, as provided by this section and to the extent that
funds are available. 

(b) Requires the commissioner to adopt criteria for identifying
experienced, extraordinary educators under this section.  Requires the
criteria to include certain information. 

(c) Requires a bonus under this section to be paid at the beginning of the
first year in which the educator serves at the low-performing campus. 

(d) Requires an educator who does not serve at the low-performing campus
during the entire period for which a bonus under this section was awarded
to forfeit the bonus and repay the bonus, in accordance with rules adopted
by the commissioner. 

(e) Requires the board to impose sanctions on an educator who receives a
bonus under this section but does not serve at the low-performing campus
during the entire period for which the bonus was awarded. 

(f) Authorizes the commissioner and the board to waive the provisions of
Subsections (d) and (e) for good cause. 

(g) Requires the commissioner to pay any bonuses under this section from
funds appropriated for that purpose. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 22.051(a), Education Code, to provide that this
subsection also applies to a professional employee of a school district who
provides personnel information on a current or former employee of the
school district to another school or district. 

SECTION 6.  Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
school year. 

SECTION 7.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.
            Provides that SECTIONS 1 and 4 of this Act take effect
September 1, 2001.