By Nelson S.B. No. 1462
77R8651 CAS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to a financial award for certain classroom teachers and to
1-3 providing scholarships to classroom teachers pursuing additional
1-4 teacher certification.
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 $5,000 each year the
1-13 teacher holds that certification.
1-14 (b) A financial award under this section shall be paid from
1-15 funds appropriated to the agency that may be used for that purpose.
1-16 SECTION 2. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-17 Subchapter M to read as follows:
1-18 SUBCHAPTER M. TEXAS CLASSROOM TEACHERS
1-19 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
1-20 Sec. 21.601. PURPOSE OF SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. The program
1-21 established by this subchapter is intended to provide financial
1-22 assistance in the form of a conditional scholarship to a classroom
1-23 teacher seeking certification by the National Board for
1-24 Professional Teaching Standards.
2-1 Sec. 21.602. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. The program is
2-2 administered by the agency. The agency may adopt rules the agency
2-3 considers reasonable to administer this subchapter.
2-4 Sec. 21.603. AWARD OF SCHOLARSHIPS. (a) The agency shall
2-5 award scholarships under this subchapter to eligible applicants in
2-6 each state fiscal year to the extent money is available for the
2-7 program. If the money available in a fiscal year is insufficient
2-8 to provide a scholarship to each eligible applicant, the agency
2-9 shall award the scholarships in the order applications are received
2-10 in that year.
2-11 (b) The agency may adopt application periods or application
2-12 deadlines for purposes of administering this section.
2-13 Sec. 21.604. ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP. To be eligible
2-14 for a scholarship to assist a person seeking National Board for
2-15 Professional Teaching Standards certification, a person must:
2-16 (1) be actively working toward that certification as
2-17 required by agency rule;
2-18 (2) be a resident of this state; and
2-19 (3) be employed by a school district in this state as
2-20 a full-time classroom teacher.
2-21 Sec. 21.605. AMOUNT OF SCHOLARSHIP. The agency shall set
2-22 the amount of a scholarship under this subchapter in an amount
2-23 necessary to cover the recipient's fees incurred in connection with
2-24 obtaining National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
2-25 certification, except that a scholarship may not exceed $1,000 for
2-26 each school year in which the person actively works toward that
2-27 certification.
3-1 Sec. 21.606. AGREEMENT TO COMPLETE CERTIFICATION. (a) A
3-2 person who receives a scholarship under this subchapter must enter
3-3 into an agreement with the agency at the time the scholarship is
3-4 accepted promising to complete the National Board for Professional
3-5 Teaching Standards certification process, whether or not the person
3-6 obtains that certification, within the period specified by the
3-7 agreement, if any. The agreement must include a promise to repay
3-8 the appropriate amount of the scholarship if the person does not
3-9 complete the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
3-10 certification process as provided by the agreement.
3-11 (b) The amount required to be repaid by a person who fails
3-12 to complete the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
3-13 certification process shall be determined in proportion to the
3-14 portion of the process that the person has completed, as determined
3-15 by the agency.
3-16 Sec. 21.607. FUNDING. (a) Costs of implementing this
3-17 subchapter shall be paid from:
3-18 (1) funds appropriated to the agency that may be used
3-19 for that purpose; and
3-20 (2) other available sources, including gifts, grants,
3-21 and donations accepted for purposes of this subchapter.
3-22 (b) The agency may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
3-23 donations for the purposes of this subchapter.
3-24 SECTION 3. (a) Section 21.358, Education Code, as added by
3-25 this Act, does not entitle a classroom teacher to a financial award
3-26 on the basis of holding National Board for Professional Teaching
3-27 Standards certification before the effective date of this Act.
4-1 (b) The Texas Education Agency shall adopt rules and begin
4-2 awarding scholarships under Subchapter M, Chapter 21, Education
4-3 Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the
4-4 effective date of this Act.
4-5 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.