By:  Cain, West                                       S.B. No. 1727
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to staff development provided by school districts.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 21.451, Education Code,
 1-5     is amended to read as follows:
 1-6           (a)  The staff development provided by a school district must
 1-7     be conducted in accordance with minimum standards developed by the
 1-8     commissioner for program planning, preparation, and improvement.
 1-9     The staff development:
1-10                 (1)  must include training in:
1-11                       (A)  technology;
1-12                       (B)  [,] conflict resolution;[,] and
1-13                       (C)  discipline strategies, including classroom
1-14     management, district discipline policies, and the student code of
1-15     conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37;
1-16                 (2)  must include training that:
1-17                       (A)  relates to instruction of students with
1-18     disabilities; and
1-19                       (B)  is designed for educators who work primarily
1-20     outside of the area of special education; and
1-21                 (3) [(2)]  may include instruction as to what is
1-22     permissible under law, including opinions of the United States
1-23     Supreme Court, in regard to prayers in public school.
1-24           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2002-2003
1-25     school year.
 2-1           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
 2-2     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
 2-3     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 2-4     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 2-5     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.