BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 603

80R6418 KKA-D                                                                                                   By: Van de Putte

                                                                                                                                            Education

                                                                                                                                              4/5/2007

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, deleted language in the Education Code requiring staff development training in public schools and replaced it with discretionary language.  Districts are no longer required to provide such training to teachers who work with disabled students outside of the area of special education.  Educating these students requires specialized training, but regular reports to the Texas Council on Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorders indicate that there are relatively few consistent training opportunities for teachers.

 

As proposed, S.B. 603 requires a district to provide public school teachers with research-based staff development that relates to instruction of students with disabilities, designed for teachers who work with students outside the area of special education.  The bill requires the training to be developed locally in consultation with colleges, universities, private and nonprofit organizations, regional education service centers, and any other persons identified as qualified by the district.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to any state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 21.451, Education Code, by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (e) and (f), as follows:

 

(d) Requires, rather than authorizes, the staff development provided by a school district (district) to include certain research-based training (training).

 

(e) Requires the district, in developing the required training, to consult with persons with expertise in research-based practices for students with disabilities.  Authorizes certain persons to be consulted and sets forth the entities that may be consulted under this subsection.  Provides that this subsection applies to all training required by Subsection (d)(2), regardless of whether the training is provided at the campus level or district level.

 

(f) Redesignates existing Subsection (d)(3) to Subsection (f).

 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective to the 2007-2008 school year.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.