79R7243 BDH-D

By:  Uresti                                                       H.B. No. 2858



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to public school staff development requirements for 
teachers.      
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter J, Education Code, is amended by 
adding Section 21.4511 to read as follows:
	Sec. 21.4511.  STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROVIDED FOR TEACHERS.  (a)  
The staff development provided by a school district for a teacher 
must be appropriate for the teacher's subject area and grade level 
of instruction.
	(b)  The number of staff development days required for a 
teacher with seven or more years of teaching experience must be 
lower than the number of days required for a teacher with less than 
seven years of experience.
	(c)  A school district shall dedicate one staff development 
day each school year to informing teachers of existing education 
laws and rules, including laws and rules that relate to rights of 
teachers.
	(d)  A school district shall periodically provide a 
substitute teacher as the district determines necessary to allow a 
teacher to:
		(1)  visit other classrooms to share ideas on improving 
classroom management or instruction;
		(2)  coordinate common planning days with teachers 
teaching at the same grade level; and
		(3)  attend a monthly planning day, organized by grade 
level and subject, to maintain consistency in curriculum and 
instruction in the subject.
	(e)  A school district must include time spent by a teacher 
participating in the following activities when determining whether 
a teacher has completed the minimum number of hours of staff 
development required by the district:
		(1)  staff development programs attended on weekends, 
between semesters, and in the summer, if related to the teacher's 
subject area of instruction and approved by a department director 
or other appropriate person, as determined by the district;
		(2)  on-campus meetings and release days used to 
discuss student achievement, curriculum, and instruction; and
		(3)  involvement in an activity described by Subsection 
(d).         
	(f)  To the extent of a conflict between this section and 
Section 21.451, this section prevails.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2005-2006 
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, 2005.