By:  Zaffirini                                                    S.B. No. 13 
	(In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2003; March 20, 2003, read 
first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 7, 2003, 
reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the 
following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 1; April 7, 2003, sent to printer.)


COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 13                                     By:  Zaffirini


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to restricting written information required of public 
school classroom teachers.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 11.164, Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:   
	Sec. 11.164.  RESTRICTING WRITTEN INFORMATION [REPORTS].  
(a)  The [On an annual basis, the] board of trustees of each school 
district shall limit redundant requests for information and[, after 
soliciting recommendations from each campus-level committee and 
the district-level committee, consider] the number and length of 
written reports that a classroom teacher is [employees of the 
district are] required to prepare.  A classroom teacher may not be 
required to prepare any written information other than:
		(1)  any report concerning the health, safety, or 
welfare of a student;
		(2)  a report of a student's grade on an assignment or 
examination;  
		(3)  a report of a student's academic progress in a 
class or course; 
		(4)  a report of a student's grades at the end of each 
grade reporting period;
		(5)  a textbook report;                                                
		(6)  a unit or weekly lesson plan that outlines, in a 
brief and general manner, the information to be presented during 
each period at the secondary level or in each subject or topic at 
the elementary level;
		(7)  an attendance report;                                             
		(8)  any report required for accreditation review;                     
		(9)  any information required by a school district that 
relates to a complaint, grievance, or actual or potential 
litigation and that requires the classroom teacher's involvement; 
or
		(10)  any information specifically required by law, 
rule, or regulation.
	(b)  The board of trustees shall review paperwork 
requirements imposed on classroom teachers and shall transfer to 
existing noninstructional staff a reporting task that can 
reasonably be accomplished by that staff.
	(c)  This section does not preclude a school district from 
collecting essential information, in addition to information 
specified under Subsection (a), from a classroom teacher on 
agreement between the classroom teacher and the district.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2003-2004 
school year.       
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.



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