SRC-MWN S.B. 1733 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1733
77R6440 CAS-DBy: Cain
Education
4/8/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, certain early education providers in Texas are not trained on
how children learn even though certain experts know that learning can occur
only in the context of consistent relationships. Case studies show that
training of care givers produces dramatic improvements to early education
experiences. As proposed, S.B. 1733 provides training to Head Start, public
school, and early care and education providers in the best practices of
early learning based on certain scientific research. 

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. Amens Chapter 29E, Education Code, by adding Section 29.158, as
follows: 

Sec. 29.158. TRAINING FOR CERTAIN TEACHERS AND CARE GIVERS. (a) Requires
each teacher of a prekindergarten or kindergarten class and each care giver
in a federal Head Start program or other federally or state funded early
childhood care and education program to receive training that enables the
teacher or care giver to provide children in the class or program with
instruction that meets certain criteria. 

(b) Requires training under this section to be provided by a person,
including an eligible entity as defined by Section 12.101(a), approved by
the commissioner of education (commissioner). 

(c) Requires training under this section to be paid for with state of
federal funds appropriated for that purpose. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 21.044, Education Code, to require the rules
proposed under this section to provide that to obtain the certificate
required to teach prekindergarten or kindergarten, a person is required to
receive training prescribed by Section 29.158. 

SECTION 3. Amends Section 21.451(a), Education Code, to require the staff
development to include certain training. 

SECTION 4. Requires a person who holds a certificate to teach
prekindergarten or kindergarten on the effective date of this Act to, not
later than September 1, 2003, receive the training prescribed by Section
29.158, Education Code, as added by this Act, to teach prekindergarten or
kindergarten after that date. 

SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.