By:  Pena                                                         H.B. No. 57 







A BILL TO BE ENTITLED



AN ACT



relating to the salary paid to certain professional employees of 

public schools.

	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        

	SECTION 1.  Section 21.402, Education Code, is amended by 

amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (c-1) and (c-2) to 

read as follows:

	(c-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), for the 2005-2006 and 

2006-2007 school years, a classroom teacher, full-time librarian, 

full-time counselor certified under Subchapter B, or full-time 

school nurse is entitled to a monthly salary that is at least equal 

to the sum of:

		(1)  the monthly salary the employee would have 

received for the 2005-2006 or 2006-2007 school year, as applicable 

under the district's salary schedule for the 2004-2005 school year, 

if that schedule had been in effect for the 2005-2006 or 2006-2007 

school year, including any local supplement and any money 

representing a career ladder supplement the employee would have 

received in the 2005-2006 or 2006-2007 school year; and

		(2)  $300.                                                             

	(c-2)  Subsection (c-1) and this subsection expire September 

1, 2007. 

	(d)  A classroom teacher, full-time librarian, full-time 

counselor certified under Subchapter B, or full-time school nurse 

employed by a school district in the 2006-2007 [2000-2001] school 

year is, as long as the employee is employed by the same district, 

entitled to a salary that is at least equal to the salary the 

employee received for the 2006-2007 [2000-2001] school year.

	SECTION 2.  Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is 

amended by adding Section 42.2516 to read as follows:

	Sec. 42.2516.  ADDITIONAL STATE AID OR CREDIT AGAINST COST 

OF ATTENDANCE CREDITS FOR PROFESSIONAL STAFF SALARIES.  (a)  A 

school district, including a school district that is otherwise 

ineligible for state aid under this chapter, is entitled to state 

aid in an amount, as determined by the commissioner, equal to the 

product of $3,000 multiplied by the number of classroom teachers, 

full-time librarians, full-time counselors certified under 

Subchapter B, Chapter 21, and full-time school nurses employed by 

the district and entitled to a minimum salary under Section 21.402.

	(b)  A school district that is required to take action under 

Chapter 41 to reduce its wealth per student to the equalized wealth 

level is entitled to a credit, in the amount of state aid to which 

the district is entitled under this section, against the total 

amount required under Section 41.093 for the district to purchase 

attendance credits.

	(c)  A determination by the commissioner under this section 

is final and may not be appealed.

	(d)  The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this 

section.      

	SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2005-2006 

school year.       

	SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.