By: Bivins S.B. No. 1595
Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
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 grant program, and to loan repayment assistance for
1-5 certain classroom teachers.
1-6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-7 SECTION 1. Section 56.309, Education Code, is redesignated
1-8 as Subchapter O, Chapter 56, Education Code, and amended to read as
1-9 follows:
1-10 SUBCHAPTER O. TEACH FOR TEXAS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
1-11 Sec. 56.351. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-12 (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
1-13 Education Coordinating Board.
1-14 (2) "Eligible institution" means:
1-15 (A) an institution of higher education; or
1-16 (B) a private or independent institution of
1-17 higher education as defined by Section 61.003.
1-18 Sec. 56.352 [56.309]. PURPOSE OF [TEACH FOR TEXAS GRANT]
1-19 PROGRAM. [(a)] The purpose of this subchapter [the Teach for
1-20 Texas grant program] is to attract to the teaching profession
1-21 persons who have expressed interest in teaching and to support the
1-22 certification of those persons as classroom teachers by providing
1-23 grants on the condition that the recipient serve as a classroom
2-1 teacher in the public schools of this state for a specified period.
2-2 Sec. 56.353. ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT; TEACHING AGREEMENT. (a)
2-3 [(b)] A Teach for Texas grant is available only to a person who
2-4 [receives a TEXAS grant under Section 56.304 or 56.305,] applies
2-5 for a [Teach for Texas tuition] grant[,] and:
2-6 (1) is seeking educator certification;
2-7 (2) is enrolled in an eligible institution of higher
2-8 education in this state:
2-9 (A) as a junior or senior in a baccalaureate
2-10 degree program; or
2-11 (B) in the person's first academic year in an
2-12 educator certification program after receiving a baccalaureate
2-13 degree;
2-14 (3) the person makes satisfactory progress toward
2-15 completion of the person's educator certification program; and
2-16 (4) the person satisfies one of the following [if]:
2-17 (A) the person is seeking educator certification
2-18 [(1) the degree program is] in a teaching field certified by the
2-19 commissioner of education as experiencing a critical shortage of
2-20 teachers in this state in the year in which the person receives the
2-21 grant and agrees to teach full-time for five years at the
2-22 preschool, primary, or secondary level in a public school in this
2-23 state in that teaching field [begins the degree program]; or
2-24 (B) [(2)] the person agrees to teach full-time
2-25 for five years at the preschool, primary, or secondary level in a
2-26 public school in this state in a community, which is not required
3-1 to be specifically designated at the time the person receives the
3-2 grant, certified by the commissioner of education as experiencing a
3-3 critical shortage of teachers in any year in which the person
3-4 receives a grant under this subchapter [section] or in any
3-5 subsequent year in which the person fulfills the teaching
3-6 obligation.
3-7 (b) The coordinating board in awarding Teach for Texas
3-8 grants shall give priority to applicants whose expected family
3-9 contribution and demonstrated financial need, as determined by the
3-10 financial aid office of the institution the applicant attends, does
3-11 not exceed the applicant's cost of attendance.
3-12 (c) If the money available for grants in a period for which
3-13 grants are awarded exceeds the amount needed to provide grants to
3-14 all eligible applicants described by Subsection (b), the
3-15 coordinating board shall award grants from the remaining money to
3-16 additional eligible applicants. The board shall prescribe by rule
3-17 the eligibility requirements for these applicants based on the
3-18 factors that the board considers appropriate to further the
3-19 purposes of this subchapter.
3-20 (d) 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), the coordinating
3-23 board shall award grants among those applicants according to
3-24 financial need.
3-25 (e) A person may not receive Teach for Texas tuition grants
3-26 for more than three academic years or the equivalent.
4-1 (f) A person is not eligible to receive a Teach for Texas
4-2 grant if the person has been convicted of a felony or an offense
4-3 under Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code (Texas Controlled
4-4 Substances Act), or under the law of another jurisdiction involving
4-5 a controlled substance, as defined by Chapter 481, Health and
4-6 Safety Code, unless the person has met the other applicable
4-7 eligibility requirements under this subchapter and has:
4-8 (1) received a certificate of discharge by the Texas
4-9 Department of Criminal Justice or a correctional facility or
4-10 completed a period of probation ordered by a court, and at least
4-11 two years have elapsed from the date of the receipt or completion;
4-12 or
4-13 (2) been pardoned, had the record of the offense
4-14 expunged from the person's record, or otherwise has been released
4-15 from the resulting ineligibility to receive a grant under this
4-16 subchapter.
4-17 (g) For the purpose of this section, a person makes
4-18 satisfactory academic progress toward completion of an educator
4-19 certification program if the person:
4-20 (1) completes at least 75 percent of the semester
4-21 credit hours attempted in the student's most recent academic year;
4-22 and
4-23 (2) earns an overall grade point average of at least
4-24 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on coursework
4-25 previously attempted at institutions of higher education.
4-26 Sec. 56.354. AMOUNT OF GRANT; TOTAL AMOUNT OF GRANTS.
5-1 (a) The total amount of Teach for Texas grants that a person may
5-2 receive may not exceed the total amount of TEXAS grants that a
5-3 person may receive under Subchapter M for the two academic years
5-4 beginning with the first academic year in which the person receives
5-5 a Teach for Texas grant [To receive a Teach for Texas tuition
5-6 grant, a person must agree to teach full-time for five years at the
5-7 preschool, primary, or secondary level in a public school in this
5-8 state in the person's chosen critical field or in a community
5-9 experiencing a critical teacher shortage, as applicable].
5-10 (b) [(d)] The amount of a Teach for Texas grant for a
5-11 semester or term [under this section] is [equal to two times] the
5-12 amount determined by the coordinating board by dividing the total
5-13 amount of Teach for Texas grants that the recipient may receive
5-14 under Subsection (a) by the number of semesters in which a typical
5-15 full-time student would complete the recipient's educator
5-16 certification program. The coordinating board may adjust the
5-17 amount of a grant for a semester or term, or award a supplemental
5-18 grant, to ensure that a grant recipient who completes the educator
5-19 certification program in less than the number of semesters in which
5-20 a typical full-time student would complete the certification
5-21 program receives the same total amount of grants that the recipient
5-22 would have received if the recipient did not complete the educator
5-23 certification program in less than the number of semesters in which
5-24 a typical full-time student would have done so [of a TEXAS grant
5-25 authorized under Section 56.307(b) for the same semester or term].
5-26 Sec. 56.355. ELIGIBILITY FOR TEXAS GRANT NOT AFFECTED. A
6-1 person may receive both a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M [Section
6-2 56.304 or 56.305] and a Teach for Texas grant under this subchapter
6-3 [section] for the same semester or term.
6-4 Sec. 56.356. SATISFYING TEACHING OBLIGATION; REPAYMENT.
6-5 (a) A person who receives one or more Teach for Texas grants [(e)
6-6 The person] must begin fulfilling the teaching obligation of the
6-7 person's grants [this section] not later than the 18th month after
6-8 the person completes the educator certification program for which
6-9 the person received the grants [degree program and any related
6-10 courses required for teacher certification], unless the
6-11 coordinating board grants the person additional time to begin
6-12 fulfilling the teaching obligation.
6-13 (b) The person must complete the teaching obligation not
6-14 later than the sixth year after the date the person begins to
6-15 fulfill the teaching obligation. The coordinating board shall
6-16 grant a person additional time to complete the teaching obligation
6-17 for good cause.
6-18 (c) [(f)] The coordinating board shall cancel a person's
6-19 teaching obligation if the board determines that the person:
6-20 (1) has become permanently disabled so that the person
6-21 is not able to teach; or
6-22 (2) has died.
6-23 (d) [(g)] The coordinating board shall require a person who
6-24 receives a Teach for Texas grant [under this section] to sign a
6-25 promissory note acknowledging the conditional nature of the grant
6-26 and promising to repay the outstanding amount of the grant plus
7-1 applicable interest and reasonable collection costs if the person
7-2 does not satisfy the applicable conditions. The board shall
7-3 determine the terms of the promissory note.
7-4 (e) [(h)] The amount required to be repaid by a person who
7-5 fails to complete the teaching obligation of the person's grants
7-6 [grant] shall be determined in proportion to the portion of the
7-7 total teaching obligation that the person has not satisfied.
7-8 (f) [(i)] A person receiving a Teach for Texas [tuition]
7-9 grant is considered to have failed to satisfy the conditions of the
7-10 grant, and the grant automatically becomes a loan, if the person
7-11 fails to remain enrolled in or to make steady progress in the
7-12 person's educator certification program and, if applicable, the
7-13 person's baccalaureate degree program for which the grant was made
7-14 without good cause as determined by the coordinating board or if
7-15 the person fails to become certified as a teacher not later than
7-16 the 18th month after the date the person completes the educator
7-17 certification program [receives a degree].
7-18 Sec. 56.357. TEACH FOR TEXAS ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION
7-19 ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. (a) The coordinating board shall establish a
7-20 program under which the coordinating board awards grants to assist
7-21 persons seeking educator certification through alternative educator
7-22 certification programs as provided by this section.
7-23 (b) To be eligible for a grant under the program, a person
7-24 must apply for a grant and:
7-25 (1) have received a baccalaureate degree from an
7-26 eligible institution of higher education or an accredited
8-1 out-of-state institution of higher education; and
8-2 (2) enroll in an alternative educator certification
8-3 program described by Section 21.049 and satisfy either of the
8-4 following conditions:
8-5 (A) be seeking educator certification in a
8-6 teaching field certified by the commissioner of education as
8-7 experiencing a critical shortage of teachers in this state in the
8-8 year in which the person receives the grant and agree to teach for
8-9 five years in a public school in this state in that teaching field;
8-10 or
8-11 (B) agree to teach for five years in a public
8-12 school in this state in a community, which is not required to be
8-13 specifically designated at the time the person receives the grant,
8-14 certified by the commissioner of education as experiencing a
8-15 critical shortage of teachers in any year in which the person
8-16 receives a grant under this section or in any subsequent year in
8-17 which the person fulfills the teaching obligation.
8-18 (c) In selecting applicants to receive grants under the
8-19 program, the coordinating board shall consider:
8-20 (1) the financial resources of an applicant;
8-21 (2) the efficient use of the money available for
8-22 grants;
8-23 (3) the opportunity of applicants from all regions of
8-24 this state to receive grants; and
8-25 (4) any other factor the board considers appropriate
8-26 to further the purposes of this subchapter.
9-1 (d) The amount of a grant under the program is the amount
9-2 determined by the coordinating board two times the total amount of
9-3 TEXAS grants that a person may receive under Subchapter M for the
9-4 two academic years beginning with the academic year in which the
9-5 person receives the grant under this section.
9-6 (e) The person must begin fulfilling the person's teaching
9-7 obligation not later than the 18th month after the person completes
9-8 the alternative educator certification program, unless the
9-9 coordinating board for good cause grants the person additional time
9-10 to begin fulfilling the teaching obligation. The person must
9-11 complete the teaching obligation not later than the sixth year
9-12 after the date the person begins to fulfill the teaching
9-13 obligation. The coordinating board shall grant a person additional
9-14 time to complete the teaching obligation for good cause.
9-15 (f) The coordinating board shall cancel a person's teaching
9-16 obligation if the board determines that the person:
9-17 (1) has become permanently disabled so that the person
9-18 is not able to teach; or
9-19 (2) has died.
9-20 (g) The coordinating board shall require a person who
9-21 receives a grant to sign a promissory note acknowledging the
9-22 conditional nature of the grant and promising to repay the amount
9-23 of the grant plus applicable interest and reasonable collection
9-24 costs if the person does not satisfy the applicable conditions of
9-25 the grant. The board shall determine the terms of the promissory
9-26 note.
10-1 (h) The amount required to be repaid by a person who fails
10-2 to complete the teaching obligation of the person's grant shall be
10-3 determined in proportion to the portion of the teaching obligation
10-4 that the person has not satisfied.
10-5 (i) A person receiving a grant is considered to have failed
10-6 to satisfy the conditions of the grant, and the grant automatically
10-7 becomes a loan, if the person, without good cause as determined by
10-8 the coordinating board, fails to:
10-9 (1) remain enrolled in or to make steady progress in
10-10 the alternative educator certification program for which the grant
10-11 was made or, with the approval of the coordinating board, in
10-12 another alternative educator certification program; or
10-13 (2) become certified as a classroom teacher not later
10-14 than the 18th month after the date the person completes the
10-15 alternative educator certification program.
10-16 Sec. 56.358. FUNDING; ALLOCATION OF FUNDING. (a) The
10-17 coordinating board may solicit and accept gifts and grants from any
10-18 public or private source for the purposes of this subchapter.
10-19 (b) The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes
10-20 of this subchapter.
10-21 SECTION 2. The heading to Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
10-22 Education Code, as added by Chapter 1590, Acts of the 76th
10-23 Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is amended to read as follows:
10-24 SUBCHAPTER M. TOWARD EXCELLENCE, ACCESS, & SUCCESS (TEXAS)
10-25 GRANT PROGRAM [AND TEACH FOR TEXAS GRANT PROGRAM]
10-26 SECTION 3. Section 56.308(b), Education Code, is amended to
11-1 read as follows:
11-2 (b) Each school district shall:
11-3 (1) notify its middle school students, junior high
11-4 school students, and high school students, those students' teachers
11-5 and counselors, and those students' parents of the TEXAS grant and
11-6 Teach for Texas grant programs [established under this subchapter],
11-7 the eligibility requirements of each program, the need for students
11-8 to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for success
11-9 beyond high school, and sources of information on higher education
11-10 admissions and financial aid in a manner that assists the district
11-11 in implementing a strategy adopted by the district under Section
11-12 11.252(a)(4); and
11-13 (2) ensure that each student's official transcript or
11-14 diploma indicates whether the student has completed or is on
11-15 schedule to complete:
11-16 (A) the recommended or advanced high school
11-17 curriculum required for grant eligibility under Section 28.002 or
11-18 28.025; or
11-19 (B) for a school district covered by Section
11-20 56.304(f)(1), the required portion of the recommended or advanced
11-21 high school curriculum in the manner described by Section
11-22 56.304(f)(2).
11-23 SECTION 4. Section 56.311, Education Code, is amended to
11-24 read as follows:
11-25 Sec. 56.311. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) The
11-26 Legislative Oversight Committee on the TEXAS grant program and
12-1 Teach for Texas grant program [programs established by this
12-2 subchapter] is composed of six members as follows:
12-3 (1) three members of the senate appointed by the
12-4 lieutenant governor; and
12-5 (2) three members of the house of representatives
12-6 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
12-7 (b) The committee shall:
12-8 (1) meet at least twice a year with the coordinating
12-9 board; and
12-10 (2) receive information regarding rules relating to
12-11 the TEXAS grant program and Teach for Texas grant program [programs
12-12 established by this subchapter] that have been adopted by the
12-13 coordinating board or proposed for adoption by the coordinating
12-14 board.
12-15 (c) The committee may request reports and other information
12-16 from the coordinating board relating to the operation of the TEXAS
12-17 grant program and Teach for Texas grant program [programs under
12-18 this subchapter] by the coordinating board.
12-19 (d) The committee shall review the specific recommendations
12-20 for legislation related to this subchapter that are proposed by the
12-21 coordinating board.
12-22 (e) The committee shall monitor the operation of the TEXAS
12-23 grant program and Teach for Texas grant program [programs
12-24 established under this subchapter], with emphasis on the manner of
12-25 the award of grants, the number of grants awarded, and the
12-26 educational progress made by persons who have received grants under
13-1 those programs [this subchapter].
13-2 (f) The committee shall file a report with the governor,
13-3 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives
13-4 not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year.
13-5 (g) The report shall include identification of any problems
13-6 in the TEXAS grant program and Teach for Texas grant program
13-7 [programs operated under this subchapter] with recommended
13-8 solutions for the coordinating board and for legislative action.
13-9 SECTION 5. Section 11.252(a), Education Code, is amended to
13-10 read as follows:
13-11 (a) Each school district shall have a district improvement
13-12 plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in
13-13 accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the
13-14 assistance of the district-level committee established under
13-15 Section 11.251. The purpose of the district improvement plan is to
13-16 guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student
13-17 performance for all student groups in order to attain state
13-18 standards in respect to the academic excellence indicators adopted
13-19 under Section 39.051. The district improvement plan must include
13-20 provisions for:
13-21 (1) a comprehensive needs assessment addressing
13-22 district student performance on the academic excellence indicators,
13-23 and other appropriate measures of performance, that are
13-24 disaggregated by all student groups served by the district,
13-25 including categories of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, and
13-26 populations served by special programs, including students in
14-1 special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;
14-2 (2) measurable district performance objectives for all
14-3 appropriate academic excellence indicators for all student
14-4 populations, including students in special education programs under
14-5 Subchapter A, Chapter 29, and other measures of student performance
14-6 that may be identified through the comprehensive needs assessment;
14-7 (3) strategies for improvement of student performance
14-8 that include:
14-9 (A) instructional methods for addressing the
14-10 needs of student groups not achieving their full potential;
14-11 (B) methods for addressing the needs of students
14-12 for special programs, such as suicide prevention, conflict
14-13 resolution, violence prevention, or dyslexia treatment programs;
14-14 (C) dropout reduction;
14-15 (D) integration of technology in instructional
14-16 and administrative programs;
14-17 (E) discipline management;
14-18 (F) staff development for professional staff of
14-19 the district;
14-20 (G) career education to assist students in
14-21 developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a
14-22 broad range of career opportunities; and
14-23 (H) accelerated education;
14-24 (4) strategies for providing to middle school, junior
14-25 high school, and high school students, those students' teachers and
14-26 counselors, and those students' parents information about:
15-1 (A) higher education admissions and financial
15-2 aid opportunities;
15-3 (B) the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for
15-4 Texas grant program established under [Subchapter M,] Chapter 56;
15-5 (C) the need for students to make informed
15-6 curriculum choices to be prepared for success beyond high school;
15-7 and
15-8 (D) sources of information on higher education
15-9 admissions and financial aid;
15-10 (5) resources needed to implement identified
15-11 strategies;
15-12 (6) staff responsible for ensuring the accomplishment
15-13 of each strategy;
15-14 (7) timelines for ongoing monitoring of the
15-15 implementation of each improvement strategy; and
15-16 (8) formative evaluation criteria for determining
15-17 periodically whether strategies are resulting in intended
15-18 improvement of student performance.
15-19 SECTION 6. Subchapter M, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
15-20 amended by amending Section 61.702 and adding Section 61.7021 to
15-21 read as follows:
15-22 Sec. 61.702. ELIGIBILITY FOR CLASSROOM TEACHER REPAYMENT
15-23 ASSISTANCE. (a) To be eligible to receive repayment assistance
15-24 for classroom teachers, a person must apply to the board and must
15-25 [have]:
15-26 (1) have completed at least one year of employment as
16-1 [and be employed as] a full-time classroom teacher at the
16-2 preschool, primary, or secondary level in a public school in [the
16-3 elementary or secondary schools of] this state in an area or field
16-4 of acute teacher shortage as designated by the commissioner of
16-5 education [State Board of Education]; and
16-6 (2) be employed as a full-time classroom teacher at
16-7 the preschool, primary, or secondary level in a public school in
16-8 this state in an area or field described by Subdivision (1).
16-9 (b) A person is not eligible for repayment assistance for
16-10 classroom teachers under this subchapter if the person has received
16-11 a Teach for Texas grant or other financial assistance under
16-12 Subchapter O, Chapter 56, or under former Section 56.309.
16-13 (c) The board shall give priority in granting repayment
16-14 assistance for classroom teachers to a person who received
16-15 repayment assistance for classroom teachers for the preceding
16-16 school year. The priority terminates if the person does not apply
16-17 for or is not eligible for that assistance. In extraordinary
16-18 circumstances, the board may allow a person to maintain the
16-19 priority after one or more years in which the person is unable to
16-20 teach as a classroom teacher.
16-21 Sec. 61.7021. ELIGIBILITY FOR BORDER INSTITUTION FACULTY
16-22 REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE. To be eligible to receive repayment
16-23 assistance for border institution faculty, a person must apply to
16-24 the board and must:
16-25 (1) have [or]
16-26 [(2)] received a doctoral degree not earlier than
17-1 September 1, 1994, from a public or private institution of higher
17-2 education accredited as required by the board; and
17-3 (2) be employed as a full-time faculty member with
17-4 instructional duties in an institution of higher education located
17-5 in a county that borders the United Mexican States.
17-6 SECTION 7. Section 61.705, Education Code, is amended by
17-7 amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read
17-8 as follows:
17-9 (c) The minimum amount of repayment assistance that may be
17-10 awarded in one year to a person who qualifies for the assistance
17-11 under Section 61.702 is the lesser of:
17-12 (1) $1,000; or
17-13 (2) the amount of principal and accrued interest that
17-14 is due on eligible loans in that year.
17-15 (d) A person may not receive repayment assistance for
17-16 classroom teachers under this subchapter in a total amount that
17-17 exceeds $5,000, and may not receive that repayment assistance for
17-18 more than five years.
17-19 (e) The minimum amount of repayment assistance that may be
17-20 awarded [received] in one year to [by] a person who qualifies for
17-21 the assistance under [described by] Section 61.7021 [61.702(2)] is
17-22 50 percent of the amount of principal and accrued interest that is
17-23 due on eligible loans that year.
17-24 SECTION 8. Section 61.708(a), Education Code, is amended to
17-25 read as follows:
17-26 (a) The board shall adopt rules necessary for the
18-1 administration of this subchapter, including[:]
18-2 [(1) a rule that sets a minimum or maximum amount of
18-3 repayment assistance that may be received in one year by a person
18-4 described by Section 61.702(1); and]
18-5 [(2)] a rule that sets a maximum amount of repayment
18-6 assistance that may be received in one year by a person who
18-7 qualifies for the assistance under Section 61.7021 [described by
18-8 Section 61.702(2)].
18-9 SECTION 9. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
18-10 Board shall implement the changes made by this Act to the Teach for
18-11 Texas grant program and to the classroom teacher loan repayment
18-12 assistance program under Subchapter M, Chapter 61, Education Code,
18-13 as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, but
18-14 not later than the 2002-2003 academic year.
18-15 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
18-16 adopt initial rules for awarding grants and shall award grants
18-17 under the Teach for Texas alternative certification assistance
18-18 program established under Section 56.357, Education Code, as added
18-19 by this Act, as soon as practicable.
18-20 SECTION 10. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
18-21 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
18-22 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
18-23 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
18-24 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.