79R757 ESH-D
By: West S.B. No. 61
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the teaching of foreign languages in public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 21.0451 and 21.0485 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.0451. GRANTS FOR CERTIFICATION IN BILINGUAL
EDUCATION, DUAL LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION, OR ENGLISH AS A SECOND
LANGUAGE. (a) From funds appropriated for that purpose, the
commissioner shall make grants to educator preparation programs
offered by public senior colleges or universities, as defined by
Section 61.003, to allow the programs to:
(1) exempt from the payment of tuition and fees a
student seeking certification as a bilingual education, dual
language instruction, or English as a second language teacher; and
(2) reimburse a student described by Subdivision (1)
for the cost of textbooks required for the educator preparation
program.
(b) The commissioner by rule shall establish:
(1) criteria, including a financial need requirement,
that an educator preparation program must use to determine a
student's eligibility for an exemption or funds under this section;
and
(2) procedures to recover funds from a student awarded
an exemption or funds under this section if the student does not:
(A) obtain certification as a bilingual
education, dual language instruction, or English as a second
language teacher; or
(B) serve as a bilingual education, dual language
instruction, or English as a second language teacher in a public
school in this state for the minimum time prescribed by the
commissioner.
Sec. 21.0485. MASTER LANGUAGE TEACHER CERTIFICATION.
(a) To ensure that there are teachers with special training to
work with other teachers and with students in order to improve
student performance in English and other languages, the board shall
establish:
(1) a master language teacher certificate to teach
bilingual education, dual language instruction, or English as a
second language at elementary school grade levels;
(2) a master language teacher certificate to teach
bilingual education, dual language instruction, or English as a
second language at middle school grade levels; and
(3) a master language teacher certificate to teach
dual language instruction at high school grade levels.
(b) The board shall issue the appropriate master language
teacher certificate to each eligible person.
(c) To be eligible for a master language teacher
certificate, a person must:
(1) hold a teaching certificate issued under this
subchapter;
(2) have at least three years of experience teaching
bilingual education, dual language instruction, or English as a
second language;
(3) satisfactorily complete a knowledge-based course
of instruction on the science of teaching children language that
includes training in language instruction and professional peer
mentoring techniques that, through scientific testing, have been
proven effective;
(4) perform satisfactorily on the appropriate master
science language certification examination prescribed by the
board; and
(5) satisfy any other requirements prescribed by the
board.
SECTION 2. Section 21.050(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The board may not require more than 18 semester credit
hours of education courses at the baccalaureate level for the
granting of a teaching certificate. The board shall provide for a
minimum number of semester credit hours of internship to be
included in the hours needed for certification. The board may
propose rules requiring additional credit hours for certification
in bilingual education, dual language instruction, English as a
second language, early childhood education, or special education.
SECTION 3. Section 21.054, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) Rules proposed under Subsection (a) must permit an
educator to fulfill continuing education requirements by acquiring
conversational skills in one or more languages other than English.
The rules must permit educators to obtain language instruction
through a variety of methods, including attendance at workshops
offered by qualified entities and enrollment on a noncredit basis
in courses offered by public or private colleges and universities.
SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 21.060 and 21.061 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.060. NOTICE OF EDUCATIONAL AIDE TUITION EXEMPTION.
On issuing an educator certificate to an educational aide or
renewing such a certificate, the board shall notify the person to
whom the certificate is issued of:
(1) the existence of the educational aide exemption
under Section 54.214; and
(2) the availability of financial assistance under
Section 21.061 for educational aides who seek certification as
language teachers.
Sec. 21.061. FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO EDUCATIONAL AIDES
SEEKING CERTIFICATION AS LANGUAGE TEACHERS. (a) A school district
may use state or local funds to:
(1) supplement the tuition and fees exemption under
Section 54.214 for an educational aide employed by the district who
is enrolled in courses leading to certification as a bilingual
education, dual language instruction, or English as a second
language teacher by:
(A) paying fees to which the exemption under
Section 54.214 does not apply; or
(B) paying tuition and fees for an educational
aide who does not meet the financial need requirements established
by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section
54.214; or
(2) reimburse an educational aide who obtains
certification as a bilingual education, dual language instruction,
or English as a second language teacher for the fee paid to take the
language proficiency examination required for certification.
(b) Before a school district may provide financial
assistance to an educational aide under this section, the district
and the aide must enter into a written agreement providing that:
(1) after the aide obtains certification as a teacher,
the aide will serve as a bilingual education, dual language
instruction, or English as a second language teacher in the
district for the minimum time prescribed by the district;
(2) if the aide does not serve as a teacher in the
district for the minimum time, the aide will repay to the district
the financial assistance received, in proportion to the amount of
time the aide did not serve as a teacher in the district; and
(3) the district may waive the requirements of
Subdivisions (1) and (2) for good cause.
SECTION 5. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 21.416 and 21.417 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.416. MASTER LANGUAGE TEACHER GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The
commissioner shall establish a master language teacher grant
program to encourage teachers to:
(1) become certified as master language teachers; and
(2) work with other teachers and with students in
order to improve student performance in English and other
languages.
(b) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the
commissioner shall make grants to school districts as provided by
this section to pay fees incurred by teachers seeking certification
as master language teachers. The grants may provide for payment of:
(1) fees charged by nationally recognized teacher
training programs in bilingual education and dual language
instruction; and
(2) fees charged by the board in connection with
certification as a master language teacher.
(c) A school district, including a school district that does
not receive Foundation School Program payments, may apply to the
commissioner for grants to be used to pay fees in accordance with
this section. The commissioner shall approve the application if
the district:
(1) applies within the period and in the manner
required by rule adopted by the commissioner;
(2) if applicable, demonstrates to the commissioner's
satisfaction community support for a dual language instruction
program; and
(3) agrees to use each grant only for the purpose of
paying fees incurred by a teacher:
(A) who is seeking certification as a master
language teacher under Section 21.0485;
(B) whose primary duties include:
(i) teaching bilingual education, dual
language instruction, or English as a second language; and
(ii) serving as a language teaching mentor
to other teachers for the amount of time and in the manner
established by the district and by rule adopted by the
commissioner; and
(C) who satisfies any other requirements
established by rule adopted by the commissioner.
(d) A school district may pay an annual stipend to a master
language teacher. A stipend a teacher receives under this section
is not considered in determining whether the district is paying the
teacher the minimum monthly salary under Section 21.402.
(e) A decision of the commissioner concerning the amount of
money to which a school district is entitled under this section is
final and may not be appealed. The commissioner may audit the
expenditure of money appropriated for purposes of this section. A
district's use of the money appropriated for purposes of this
section shall be verified as part of the district audit under
Section 44.008.
(f) The commissioner may adopt other rules as necessary to
implement this section.
Sec. 21.417. INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR LANGUAGE
TEACHERS. (a) The commissioner shall establish an international
teacher exchange program to enable:
(1) teachers from foreign countries to travel to this
state to instruct teachers in this state in teaching languages
other than English; and
(2) teachers from this state to travel to foreign
countries to teach English and improve their skills in a language
other than English.
(b) The commissioner shall solicit and may accept gifts and
grants for purposes of the international exchange program under
this section.
(c) The commissioner may adopt rules prescribing:
(1) eligibility requirements for teacher
participation in the international exchange program under this
section; and
(2) the amount of assistance to be provided to a
teacher participating in the program.
SECTION 6. Section 28.0051, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) The State Board for Educator Certification shall
provide for the issuance of teaching certificates appropriate for
dual language instruction to teachers who:
(1) possess a speaking, reading, and writing language
ability in a language other than English in which a dual language
immersion program is offered; and
(2) meet the general requirements of Subchapter B,
Chapter 21.
SECTION 7. Section 28.023, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) A school district shall develop or select examinations
under Subsection (a) for granting high school credit for a language
other than English to a student who receives instruction in that
language in elementary, middle, or junior high school.
SECTION 8. (a) Not later than January 1, 2006, the
commissioner of education shall adopt rules relating to grants to
educator preparation programs under Section 21.0451, Education
Code, as added by this Act.
(b) Beginning with the 2006 fall semester, the commissioner
of education shall make grants under Section 21.0451, Education
Code, as added by this Act.
(c) Not later than January 1, 2006, the State Board for
Educator Certification shall propose rules:
(1) establishing requirements and prescribing an
examination for master language teacher certification as required
by Section 21.0485, Education Code, as added by this Act;
(2) establishing requirements and prescribing an
examination for dual language instruction teacher certification as
required by Section 21.050(b), Education Code, as amended by this
Act, and Section 28.0051(d), Education Code, as added by this Act;
and
(3) permitting an educator to fulfill continuing
education requirements by acquiring conversational skill in a
language other than English as required by Section 21.054(c),
Education Code, as added by this Act.
(d) Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, the
commissioner of education shall make grants under Section 21.416,
Education Code, as added by this Act.
(e) The commissioner of education shall establish the
international teacher exchange program required by Section 21.417,
Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than April 1, 2006.
SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.