SRC-MKV C.S.S.B. 1327 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1327
77R6640 CAS-DBy: Bivins
Education
3/30/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently there is a need to improve teacher training in the area of
mathematics to improve student performance in math in school districts
where students are performing below grade level in math and are receiving
low scores on the math portion of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills
(TAAS) test. C.S.S.B. 1327 creates a master mathematics teacher certificate
to ensure that there are teachers with special training to work with other
teachers and students in order to improve student mathematics performance. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the commissioner of education
in SECTION 2 (Section 21.411, Education Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 21B, Education Code, by adding Section 21.0482,
as follows: 

Sec. 21.0482.  MASTER MATHEMATICS TEACHER CERTIFICATION. (a)  Requires the
State Board for Educator Certification (board) to establish a master
mathematics teacher certificate to ensure that there are teachers with
special training to work with other teachers and with students in order to
improve student mathematics performance. 
 
(b)  Requires the board to issue a master mathematics teacher certificate
to each eligible person. 
 
(c)  Requires a person to meet certain requirements to be eligible for a
master mathematics teacher certificate. 
  
(d)  Requires the course of instruction prescribed under Subsection (c)(3)
to be developed by the board in consultation with appropriate faculty
members at institutions of higher education. 
 
SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 21I, Education Code, by adding Section 21.411, as
follows: 
 
Sec. 21.411.  MASTER MATHEMATICS TEACHER GRANT PROGRAM. (a)  Requires the
commissioner of education (commissioner) to establish a master mathematics
teacher grant program to encourage teachers to become certified as master
mathematics teachers and work with other teachers and with students in
order to improve student mathematics performance. 
 
(b)  Requires the commissioner to make grants, from funds appropriated for
the purpose, to school districts as provided by this section to pay
stipends to selected certified master mathematics teachers who teach at
high-need campuses. 
 
(c)  Requires the commissioner to annually identify each high-need campus
in a school  district using criteria established by the commissioner by
rule, including performance on the mathematics assessment instrument
administered under Section 39.023.  Requires the commissioner to also use
the criteria to rank campuses in order of greatest need. 
 
(d)  Authorizes a school district to apply to the commissioner for grants
for each high-need campus identified by the commissioner to be used to pay
stipends to certified master mathematics teachers in accordance with this
section.  Provides that unless reduced under Subsection (g) or (i), each
grant is in the amount of $5,000. Requires the commissioner to approve the
application if the district meets certain requirements. 
  
(e)  Provides that unless reduced under Subsection (g) or (i), a stipend
under Subsection (d)(2) is in the amount of $5,000. 
 
(f)  Requires the commissioner to adopt rules for the distribution of
grants to school districts following the year of the initial grant.
Provides that a district that has been approved for a grant to pay a
stipend to a certified master mathematics teacher is not required to
reapply for a grant for two consecutive school years following the year of
the initial grant if the district carries out certain duties. 
  
(g)   Requires the commissioner to reduce payments to a school district
proportionately to the extent a teacher does not meet the requirements
under Subsection (d)(2) for the entire school year.  Sets forth provisions
relating to stipends paid by school districts to certain teachers. 

(h)  Provides that a grant a school district receives under this section is
in addition to any funding the district receives under Chapter 42.
Requires the commissioner to distribute funds under this section with the
Foundation School Program payment to which the district is entitled as soon
as practicable after the end of the school year as determined by the
commissioner.  Provides that a district to which Chapter 41 applies is
entitled to the grants paid under this section.  Requires the commissioner
to determine the timing of the distribution of grants to a district that
does not receive Foundation School Program payments. 
 
(i)  Provides that this section does not create a property right to a grant
or stipend. Entitles a school district to a grant to carry out the purposes
of this section only to the extent the commissioner makes the grant in
accordance with this section and only to the extent sufficient state funds
are appropriated for those purposes.  Requires the commissioner, if state
funds are appropriated but are insufficient to fully fund a grant, to
reduce the grant paid to each district and requires the district to reduce
the stipend the district pays to each teacher under this section
proportionately so that each selected teacher receives the same amount of
money. 
 
(j)  Provides that a decision of the commissioner concerning the amount of
money to which a school district is entitled under this section is final
and may not be appealed. Requires each district to, in the manner and at
the time prescribed by the commissioner, provide to the commissioner proof
acceptable to the commissioner of the master mathematics teacher
certification of a teacher to whom the district is paying a stipend under
this section. 
 
(k)  Authorizes the commissioner to audit the expenditure of money
appropriated for purposes of this section.  Requires a district's use of
the money appropriated for purposes of this section to be verified as part
of the district audit under Section 44.008. 
 
(l)  Provides that a stipend a teacher receives under this section is not
considered in determining whether the district is paying the teacher the
minimum monthly salary under  Section 21.402. 
 
(m)  Authorizes the commissioner to adopt other rules as necessary to
implement this section. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Chapter 21J, Education Code, by adding Sections 21.454
and 21.455, as follows: 
 
Sec. 21.454.  MATHEMATICS TRAINING. (a)  Requires the commissioner to
develop training materials and other teacher training resources for a
school district to use in assisting mathematics teachers in developing
expertise in the appropriate mathematics curriculum and comprehension of
the instructional approaches that, through scientific testing, have been
proven effective in improving student mathematics skills. 
 
(b)  Requires the commissioner to develop materials and resources under
this section in consultation with appropriate faculty members at
institutions of higher education. 
 
(c)  Requires the commissioner to make the training materials and other
teacher training resources required under Subsection (a) available to
mathematics teachers through a variety of mechanisms, including distance
learning, mentoring programs, small group inquiries, computer-assisted
training, and mechanisms based on trainer-of-trainer models. 
 
(d)  Requires the commissioner to use funds appropriated for the purpose to
administer this section. 

Sec. 21.455.  PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTES IN MATHEMATICS. (a)
Requires the commissioner to develop and make available professional
development institutes for teachers who provide instruction in mathematics
to students at the fifth through eighth grade levels.  
 
(b)  Requires a professional development institute developed under this
section to address certain issues relating to mathematical skills and
instruction. 

(c)  Requires the commissioner to develop professional development
institutes under this section in consultation with appropriate faculty
members at institutions of higher education. 
 
(d)  Requires the commissioner to adopt criteria for selection of teachers
authorized to attend a professional development institute developed under
this section. 
 
(e)  Requires the commissioner, from funds appropriated for the purpose, to
pay a stipend to each teacher who completes a professional development
institute developed under this section.  Requires the commissioner to
determine the amount of the stipend paid under this subsection. 
 
SECTION 4.  Amends Chapter 7C, Education Code, by adding Section 7.058, as
follows: 

Sec. 7.058.  RESEARCH ON MATHEMATICS SKILLS ACQUISITION AND PROGRAM
EFFECTIVENESS.  Requires the commissioner, from funds appropriated for that
purpose, to award one or more institutions that have demonstrated an
ability to conduct science-based research on effective instructional
strategies that improve student performance in mathematics a grant to be
used for certain specific purposes. 
 
SECTION 5.  Amends Chapter 28A, Education Code, by adding Section 28.007,
as follows: 
  
Sec. 28.007.  MATHEMATICS DIAGNOSIS. (a)  Requires the commissioner, using
funds appropriated for the purpose, to develop and make available or
contract for the development and dissemination of assessment instruments
that a school district may use to diagnose student mathematics skills.
Requires, in developing the assessment instruments, all assessment methods
available through advanced technology, including methods using the Internet
or other computer resources to provide immediate assessment of a student's
skills to be considered. 
 
(b)  Prohibits the results of assessment instruments required under
Subsection (a) from being used for purposes of appraisals and incentives
under Chapter 21 or accountability under Chapter 39. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 822.201(b), Government Code, to add a reference
to Section 21.411, Education Code, regarding stipends paid to teachers. 

SECTION 7.  (a) Requires the State Board for Educator Certification to
propose rules establishing requirements and prescribing an examination for
master mathematics teacher certification as required by Section 21.0482,
Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2003. 

 (b) Provides that beginning with the 2003-2004 school year:

(1) the commissioner of education is required to pay grants under Section
21.411, Education Code, as added by this Act; and 

(2) school districts receiving grants are required to pay stipends to
certified master mathematics teachers under Section 21.411, Education Code,
as added by this Act. 

SECTION 8.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.


SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from original by adding a new SECTION 4 requiring the commissioner
of education (commissioner) to award grants to certain institutions.
Further differs from original by eliminating original SECTION 5 relating to
after-school and summer intensive mathematics instruction programs. Adds
language to original SECTION 7 to require the commissioner to pay grants
under Section 21.411, Education Code, and require school districts
receiving grants to pay stipends to certified master mathematics teachers
under that section beginning with the 2003-2004 school year.  Renumbers
other sections accordingly.