By Kitchen                                             H.B. No. 491
         77R2932 CAS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a financial award for classroom teachers who are
 1-3     certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching
 1-4     Standards.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter H, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Section 21.358 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 21.358.  FINANCIAL AWARD FOR CERTIFICATION BY NATIONAL
 1-9     BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS.  (a)  In addition to any
1-10     other compensation a classroom teacher receives, a classroom
1-11     teacher who is certified by the National Board for Professional
1-12     Teaching Standards is entitled to an award of $7,500 each year the
1-13     teacher holds that certification.
1-14           (b)  A financial award under this section shall be paid from
1-15     state money appropriated specifically for that purpose.
1-16           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-17           (b)  Section 21.358, Education Code, as added by this Act,
1-18     does not entitle a classroom teacher to a financial award on the
1-19     basis of holding National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
1-20     certification before the effective date of this Act.