By Delisi H.B. No. 1998
77R2870 JSA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to financial assistance for certain persons seeking
1-3 certification as public school teachers, including revisions to the
1-4 Teach for Texas conditional tuition grant program and a financial
1-5 assistance program for persons in an alternative educator
1-6 certification program.
1-7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-8 SECTION 1. Section 56.309, Education Code, is redesignated as
1-9 Subchapter O, Chapter 56, Education Code, and amended to read as
1-10 follows:
1-11 SUBCHAPTER O. TEACH FOR TEXAS GRANT PROGRAM
1-12 Sec. 56.351. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-13 (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
1-14 Education Coordinating Board.
1-15 (2) "Eligible institution" means:
1-16 (A) an institution of higher education; or
1-17 (B) a private or independent institution of
1-18 higher education.
1-19 (3) "Private or independent institution of higher
1-20 education," "public junior college," and "public technical
1-21 institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
1-22 Sec. 56.352 [56.309]. PURPOSE OF [TEACH FOR TEXAS GRANT]
1-23 PROGRAM. [(a)] The purpose of this subchapter [the Teach for Texas
1-24 grant program] is to attract to the teaching profession persons who
2-1 have expressed interest in teaching and to support the
2-2 certification of those persons as classroom teachers by providing
2-3 tuition grants or stipends on the condition that the recipient
2-4 serve as a classroom teacher in the public schools of this state
2-5 for a specified period.
2-6 Sec. 56.353. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT; TEACHING AGREEMENT. (a)
2-7 [(b)] A Teach for Texas tuition grant is available only to a person
2-8 who [receives a TEXAS grant under Section 56.304 or 56.305,]
2-9 applies for a [Teach for Texas tuition] grant[,] and:
2-10 (1) is seeking educator certification;
2-11 (2) is enrolled in an eligible institution of higher
2-12 education in this state:
2-13 (A) as a junior or senior in a baccalaureate
2-14 degree program; or
2-15 (B) in the person's first semester in an
2-16 educator certification program after receiving a baccalaureate
2-17 degree; and
2-18 (3) [if:]
2-19 [(1) the degree program is in a teaching field
2-20 certified by the commissioner of education as experiencing a
2-21 critical shortage of teachers in this state in the year in which
2-22 the person begins the degree program; or]
2-23 [(2) the person] agrees to teach for the period
2-24 required by this subchapter in a public school in this state [in a
2-25 community, which is not required to be specifically designated at
2-26 the time the person receives the grant, certified by the
2-27 commissioner of education as experiencing a critical shortage of
3-1 teachers in any year in which the person receives a grant under
3-2 this section or in any subsequent year in which the person fulfills
3-3 the teaching obligation].
3-4 (b) The coordinating board in awarding Teach for Texas
3-5 tuition grants shall give priority to:
3-6 (1) a person seeking educator certification in a
3-7 teaching field certified by the commissioner of education as
3-8 experiencing a critical shortage of teachers in this state in the
3-9 year in which the person receives the grant who agrees to teach in
3-10 a public school in this state in that teaching field for the period
3-11 required by this subchapter;
3-12 (2) a person who agrees to teach for the required
3-13 period in a public school in this state in a community, which is
3-14 not required to be specifically designated at the time the person
3-15 receives the grant, certified by the commissioner of education as
3-16 experiencing a critical shortage of teachers; and
3-17 (3) other persons demonstrating financial need, to the
3-18 extent money for grants is available after awarding grants to all
3-19 eligible applicants covered by Subdivisions (1) and (2).
3-20 (c) If the money available for grants in a period for which
3-21 grants are awarded is insufficient to provide grants to all
3-22 eligible applicants described by Subsection (b)(1) and (2), the
3-23 board shall award grants among those applicants according to
3-24 financial need.
3-25 (d) A person may not receive Teach for Texas tuition grants
3-26 for more than three academic years or the equivalent.
3-27 (e) [(c)] To receive a Teach for Texas tuition grant, a
4-1 person must agree to teach full-time [for five years] at the
4-2 preschool, primary, or secondary level in a public school in this
4-3 state in the person's chosen critical field or in a community
4-4 experiencing a critical teacher shortage, as applicable, for one
4-5 year for each semester or summer term for which the person receives
4-6 a grant.
4-7 Sec. 56.354. AMOUNT OF GRANT. [(d)] The amount of a Teach
4-8 for Texas tuition grant for a semester or term [under this section]
4-9 is equal to two times the amount determined by the coordinating
4-10 board as the average statewide amount of tuition and required fees
4-11 that a resident student enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate
4-12 degree program would be charged for that semester or term at
4-13 general academic teaching institutions [of a TEXAS grant authorized
4-14 under Section 56.307(b) for the same semester or term].
4-15 Sec. 56.355. ELIGIBILITY FOR TEXAS GRANT NOT AFFECTED. A
4-16 person may receive both a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M [Section
4-17 56.304 or 56.305] and a Teach for Texas tuition grant under this
4-18 subchapter [section] for the same semester or term.
4-19 Sec. 56.356. SATISFYING TEACHING OBLIGATION; REPAYMENT.
4-20 (a) A person who receives one or more Teach for Texas tuition
4-21 grants [(e) The person] must begin fulfilling the teaching
4-22 obligation of the person's grants [this section] not later than the
4-23 18th month after the person completes the educator certification
4-24 program for which the person received the grants [degree program
4-25 and any related courses required for teacher certification], unless
4-26 the coordinating board grants the person additional time to begin
4-27 fulfilling the teaching obligation.
5-1 (b) The person must complete the teaching obligation not
5-2 later than the sixth year after the date the person begins to
5-3 fulfill the teaching obligation. The coordinating board shall
5-4 grant a person additional time to complete the teaching obligation
5-5 for good cause.
5-6 (c) [(f)] The coordinating board shall cancel a person's
5-7 teaching obligation if the board determines that the person:
5-8 (1) has become permanently disabled so that the person
5-9 is not able to teach; or
5-10 (2) has died.
5-11 (d) [(g)] The coordinating board shall require a person who
5-12 receives a Teach for Texas tuition grant [under this section] to
5-13 sign a promissory note acknowledging the conditional nature of the
5-14 grant and promising to repay the outstanding amount of the grant
5-15 plus applicable interest and reasonable collection costs if the
5-16 person does not satisfy the applicable conditions. The board shall
5-17 determine the terms of the promissory note.
5-18 (e) [(h)] The amount required to be repaid by a person who
5-19 fails to complete the teaching obligation of the person's grants
5-20 [grant] shall be determined in proportion to the portion of the
5-21 total teaching obligation that the person has not satisfied.
5-22 (f) [(i)] A person receiving a Teach for Texas tuition grant
5-23 is considered to have failed to satisfy the conditions of the
5-24 grant, and the grant automatically becomes a loan, if the person
5-25 fails to remain enrolled in or to make steady progress in the
5-26 person's educator certification program and, if applicable, the
5-27 person's baccalaureate degree program for which the grant was made
6-1 without good cause as determined by the coordinating board or if
6-2 the person fails to become certified as a teacher not later than
6-3 the 18th month after the date the person completes the educator
6-4 certification program [receives a degree].
6-5 Sec. 56.357. TEACH FOR TEXAS ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION
6-6 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. (a) The coordinating board shall establish a
6-7 program under which the coordinating board awards stipends to
6-8 assist persons seeking educator certification through alternative
6-9 educator certification programs as provided by this section.
6-10 (b) To be eligible for a stipend under the program, a person
6-11 must apply for a stipend and:
6-12 (1) have received a baccalaureate degree from an
6-13 eligible institution of higher education or an accredited
6-14 out-of-state institution of higher education; and
6-15 (2) enroll in an alternative educator certification
6-16 program described by Section 21.049 and satisfy either of the
6-17 following conditions:
6-18 (A) be seeking educator certification in a
6-19 teaching field certified by the commissioner of education as
6-20 experiencing a critical shortage of teachers in this state in the
6-21 year in which the person receives the stipend and agree to teach
6-22 for four years in a public school in this state in that teaching
6-23 field; or
6-24 (B) agree to teach for four years in a public
6-25 school in this state in a community, which is not required to be
6-26 specifically designated at the time the person receives the
6-27 stipend, certified by the commissioner of education as experiencing
7-1 a critical shortage of teachers in any year in which the person
7-2 receives a stipend under this section or in any subsequent year in
7-3 which the person fulfills the teaching obligation.
7-4 (c) In selecting applicants to receive stipends under the
7-5 program, the coordinating board shall consider:
7-6 (1) the financial need and resources of an applicant;
7-7 (2) the efficient use of the money available for
7-8 stipends;
7-9 (3) the opportunity of applicants from all regions of
7-10 this state to receive stipends; and
7-11 (4) any other factor the board considers appropriate
7-12 to further the purposes of this subchapter.
7-13 (d) The amount of a stipend under the program is:
7-14 (1) an amount set by the board not to exceed $5,000;
7-15 or
7-16 (2) a different amount set by legislative
7-17 appropriation.
7-18 (e) The person must begin fulfilling the person's teaching
7-19 obligation not later than the 18th month after the person completes
7-20 the alternative educator certification program, unless the
7-21 coordinating board for good cause grants the person additional time
7-22 to begin fulfilling the teaching obligation. The person must
7-23 complete the teaching obligation not later than the fifth year
7-24 after the date the person begins to fulfill the teaching
7-25 obligation. The coordinating board shall grant a person additional
7-26 time to complete the teaching obligation for good cause.
7-27 (f) The coordinating board shall cancel a person's teaching
8-1 obligation if the board determines that the person:
8-2 (1) has become permanently disabled so that the person
8-3 is not able to teach; or
8-4 (2) has died.
8-5 (g) The coordinating board shall require a person who
8-6 receives a stipend to sign a promissory note acknowledging the
8-7 conditional nature of the stipend and promising to repay the amount
8-8 of the stipend plus applicable interest and reasonable collection
8-9 costs if the person does not satisfy the applicable conditions of
8-10 the stipend. The board shall determine the terms of the promissory
8-11 note.
8-12 (h) The amount required to be repaid by a person who fails
8-13 to complete the teaching obligation of the person's stipend shall
8-14 be determined in proportion to the portion of the teaching
8-15 obligation that the person has not satisfied.
8-16 (i) A person receiving a stipend is considered to have
8-17 failed to satisfy the conditions of the stipend, and the stipend
8-18 automatically becomes a loan, if the person, without good cause as
8-19 determined by the coordinating board, fails to:
8-20 (1) remain enrolled in or to make steady progress in
8-21 the alternative educator certification program for which the
8-22 stipend was made or, with the approval of the coordinating board,
8-23 in another alternative educator certification program; or
8-24 (2) become certified as a classroom teacher not later
8-25 than the 18th month after the date the person completes the
8-26 alternate educator certification program.
8-27 Sec. 56.358. FUNDING; ALLOCATION OF FUNDING. (a) The
9-1 coordinating board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any
9-2 public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
9-3 (b) The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes
9-4 of this subchapter.
9-5 (c) If the coordinating board allocates Teach for Texas
9-6 tuition grants or money available for those grants to particular
9-7 eligible institutions in a fiscal or academic period, the
9-8 coordinating board shall make grants or money not awarded to
9-9 students at such an institution in the fiscal or academic period
9-10 available to eligible applicants at other eligible institutions on
9-11 a basis the coordinating board determines to be fair and
9-12 reasonable.
9-13 SECTION 2. The heading to Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education
9-14 Code, as added by Chapter 1590, Acts of the 76th Legislature,
9-15 Regular Session, 1999, is amended to read as follows:
9-16 SUBCHAPTER M. TOWARD EXCELLENCE, ACCESS, & SUCCESS (TEXAS)
9-17 GRANT PROGRAM [AND TEACH FOR TEXAS GRANT PROGRAM]
9-18 SECTION 3. Section 56.308(b), Education Code, is amended to
9-19 read as follows:
9-20 (b) Each school district shall:
9-21 (1) notify its middle school students, junior high
9-22 school students, and high school students, those students' teachers
9-23 and counselors, and those students' parents of the TEXAS grant and
9-24 Teach for Texas grant programs [established under this subchapter],
9-25 the eligibility requirements of each program, the need for students
9-26 to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for success
9-27 beyond high school, and sources of information on higher education
10-1 admissions and financial aid in a manner that assists the district
10-2 in implementing a strategy adopted by the district under Section
10-3 11.252(a)(4); and
10-4 (2) ensure that each student's official transcript or
10-5 diploma indicates whether the student has completed or is on
10-6 schedule to complete:
10-7 (A) the recommended or advanced high school
10-8 curriculum required for grant eligibility under Section 28.002 or
10-9 28.025; or
10-10 (B) for a school district covered by Section
10-11 56.304(f)(1), the required portion of the recommended or advanced
10-12 high school curriculum in the manner described by Section
10-13 56.304(f)(2).
10-14 SECTION 4. Section 56.311, Education Code, is amended to read
10-15 as follows:
10-16 Sec. 56.311. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) The
10-17 Legislative Oversight Committee on the TEXAS grant program and
10-18 Teach for Texas grant program [programs established by this
10-19 subchapter] is composed of six members as follows:
10-20 (1) three members of the senate appointed by the
10-21 lieutenant governor; and
10-22 (2) three members of the house of representatives
10-23 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
10-24 (b) The committee shall:
10-25 (1) meet at least twice a year with the coordinating
10-26 board; and
10-27 (2) receive information regarding rules relating to
11-1 the TEXAS grant program and Teach for Texas grant program [programs
11-2 established by this subchapter] that have been adopted by the
11-3 coordinating board or proposed for adoption by the coordinating
11-4 board.
11-5 (c) The committee may request reports and other information
11-6 from the coordinating board relating to the operation of the TEXAS
11-7 grant program and Teach for Texas grant program [programs under
11-8 this subchapter] by the coordinating board.
11-9 (d) The committee shall review the specific recommendations
11-10 for legislation related to this subchapter that are proposed by the
11-11 coordinating board.
11-12 (e) The committee shall monitor the operation of the TEXAS
11-13 grant program and Teach for Texas grant program [programs
11-14 established under this subchapter], with emphasis on the manner of
11-15 the award of grants, the number of grants awarded, and the
11-16 educational progress made by persons who have received grants under
11-17 those programs [this subchapter].
11-18 (f) The committee shall file a report with the governor,
11-19 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives
11-20 not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year.
11-21 (g) The report shall include identification of any problems
11-22 in the TEXAS grant program and Teach for Texas grant program
11-23 [programs operated under this subchapter] with recommended
11-24 solutions for the coordinating board and for legislative action.
11-25 SECTION 5. Section 11.252(a), Education Code, is amended to
11-26 read as follows:
11-27 (a) Each school district shall have a district improvement
12-1 plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in
12-2 accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the
12-3 assistance of the district-level committee established under
12-4 Section 11.251. The purpose of the district improvement plan is to
12-5 guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student
12-6 performance for all student groups in order to attain state
12-7 standards in respect to the academic excellence indicators adopted
12-8 under Section 39.051. The district improvement plan must include
12-9 provisions for:
12-10 (1) a comprehensive needs assessment addressing
12-11 district student performance on the academic excellence indicators,
12-12 and other appropriate measures of performance, that are
12-13 disaggregated by all student groups served by the district,
12-14 including categories of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, and
12-15 populations served by special programs, including students in
12-16 special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;
12-17 (2) measurable district performance objectives for all
12-18 appropriate academic excellence indicators for all student
12-19 populations, including students in special education programs under
12-20 Subchapter A, Chapter 29, and other measures of student performance
12-21 that may be identified through the comprehensive needs assessment;
12-22 (3) strategies for improvement of student performance
12-23 that include:
12-24 (A) instructional methods for addressing the
12-25 needs of student groups not achieving their full potential;
12-26 (B) methods for addressing the needs of students
12-27 for special programs, such as suicide prevention, conflict
13-1 resolution, violence prevention, or dyslexia treatment programs;
13-2 (C) dropout reduction;
13-3 (D) integration of technology in instructional
13-4 and administrative programs;
13-5 (E) discipline management;
13-6 (F) staff development for professional staff of
13-7 the district;
13-8 (G) career education to assist students in
13-9 developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a
13-10 broad range of career opportunities; and
13-11 (H) accelerated education;
13-12 (4) strategies for providing to middle school, junior
13-13 high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and
13-14 counselors, and those students' parents information about:
13-15 (A) higher education admissions and financial
13-16 aid opportunities;
13-17 (B) the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for
13-18 Texas grant program established under [Subchapter M,] Chapter 56;
13-19 (C) the need for students to make informed
13-20 curriculum choices to be prepared for success beyond high school;
13-21 and
13-22 (D) sources of information on higher education
13-23 admissions and financial aid;
13-24 (5) resources needed to implement identified
13-25 strategies;
13-26 (6) staff responsible for ensuring the accomplishment
13-27 of each strategy;
14-1 (7) timelines for ongoing monitoring of the
14-2 implementation of each improvement strategy; and
14-3 (8) formative evaluation criteria for determining
14-4 periodically whether strategies are resulting in intended
14-5 improvement of student performance.
14-6 SECTION 6. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
14-7 shall implement the changes made by this Act to the Teach for Texas
14-8 tuition grant program as soon as practicable after the effective
14-9 date of this Act, but not later than the 2002-2003 academic year.
14-10 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
14-11 adopt initial rules for awarding stipends and shall award stipends
14-12 under the Teach for Texas alternative certification assistance
14-13 program established under Section 56.356, Education Code, as added
14-14 by this Act, as soon as practicable.
14-15 SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
14-16 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
14-17 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
14-18 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
14-19 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.