1-1     By:  Cain                                             S.B. No. 1727
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2001; March 14, 2001, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 17, 2001,
 1-4     reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0;
 1-5     April 17, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to staff development provided by school districts.
 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10           SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 21.451, Education Code,
1-11     is amended to read as follows:
1-12           (a)  The staff development provided by a school district must
1-13     be conducted in accordance with minimum standards developed by the
1-14     commissioner for program planning, preparation, and improvement.
1-15     The staff development:
1-16                 (1)  must include training in:
1-17                       (A)  technology;
1-18                       (B)  [,] conflict resolution;[,] and
1-19                       (C)  discipline strategies, including classroom
1-20     management, district discipline policies, and the student code of
1-21     conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37;
1-22                 (2)  must include training that:
1-23                       (A)  relates to instruction of students with
1-24     disabilities; and
1-25                       (B)  is designed for educators who work primarily
1-26     outside of the area of special education; and
1-27                 (3) [(2)]  may include instruction as to what is
1-28     permissible under law, including opinions of the United States
1-29     Supreme Court, in regard to prayers in public school.
1-30           SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2002-2003
1-31     school year.
1-32           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-33     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-34     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-35     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-36     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-37                                  * * * * *