By Shapleigh                                           S.B. No. 598
         77R3895 ESH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a study of issues relating to recruitment and retention
 1-3     of public school teachers.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 21.005 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 21.005.  STUDY OF TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
 1-8     ISSUES. (a)  The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas
 1-9     at Austin shall conduct a study of the issues affecting the
1-10     recruitment and retention of teachers by public schools in this
1-11     state.
1-12           (b)  Personnel from Texas A&M University, the agency, the
1-13     State Board for Educator Certification, and the Teacher Retirement
1-14     System of Texas shall assist the Dana Center in conducting the
1-15     study.
1-16           (c)  The study must:
1-17                 (1)  emphasize possible solutions to the problems of
1-18     teacher recruitment and retention and approaches that historically
1-19     have improved teacher recruitment and retention; and
1-20                 (2)  analyze the relative difficulty that school
1-21     districts with a low wealth per student, determined as provided by
1-22     Section 41.001, have in recruiting and retaining teachers.
1-23           (d)  On request by the Dana Center, the Teacher Retirement
1-24     System of Texas shall provide to the center data relating the
 2-1     experience levels of members of the system.
 2-2           (e)  The Dana Center shall prepare a report following
 2-3     completion of the study.  Not later than November 1, 2002, the
 2-4     center shall deliver a copy of the report to the governor, the
 2-5     lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
 2-6     and the clerks of the standing committees of the senate and of the
 2-7     house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over public
 2-8     education.
 2-9           (f)  This section expires January 31, 2003.
2-10           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-11     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-12     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
2-13     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
2-14     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.