BILL ANALYSIS
By: Shapleigh
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current law allows for a one-year temporary teaching certificate for teachers to use while the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) determines what tests the teacher is required to take to become certified to teach in Texas.
As proposed, this bill requires the temporary certification period of an educator employed by a school district that has constructed or expanded at least one instructional facility as a result of increased student enrollment due to action taken under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 to expire one year after SBEC informs the educator of the examination or examinations the on which educator is required to perform successfully to receive a standard certificate.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
This bill relates to certification of educators from outside the state.
The bill amends Section 21.052, Education Code to provide that the State Board for Educator Certification (board) may issue a temporary certificate to an educator who holds a degree required by Subsection (a)(1) of Section 21.052 and a certificate or other credential required by Subsection (a)(2) of Section 21.052 but who has not satisfied the requirements prescribed by Subsection (a)(3) of Section 21.052. Subject to Subsection (f) of Section 21.052, the board may specify the term of such a temporary certificate. Such a temporary certificate issued to an educator employed by a school district that has constructed or expanded at least one instructional facility as a result of increased student enrollment due to actions taken under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. Section 2687) may not expire before the first anniversary of the date on which the board completes the review of the educator's credentials and informs the educator of the examination or examinations under Section 21.048, Education Code, on which the educator must perform successfully to receive a standard certificate.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The original bill also amended Section 21.052, Education Code, but in addition to including the provisions specified above in the ANALYSIS section, the original also included the following provisions that are not included in the substitute: Subject to Subsection (c-1) of Section 21.052, the State Board for Educator Certification (board) shall issue a temporary certificate for an initial term of one year to a person participating in an accredited alternative certification program in another state, provided that the person holds or would be entitled to obtain a temporary credential issued by the other state authorizing the person to teach in that state. The board shall permit a person issued such a temporary certificate to take the appropriate examination or examinations under Section 21.048, Education Code, for standard certification during the initial term of the temporary certificate. Such a person is subject to any fingerprinting requirement generally imposed by the board on a person seeking a certificate and is not entitled to a temporary certificate if the person does not satisfy any criteria relating to criminal history established by the board. The board shall renew a temporary certificate for a second one-year term if the person to whom the certificate is issued satisfactorily completes one year of teaching in a setting that includes participation by the person in an educator mentoring program and performs successfully on the appropriate examination or examinations under Section 21.048, Education Code, for standard certification. After the expiration of the second one-year term, the person is not entitled to further renewal of the temporary certificate and must obtain a standard certificate from the board based on the person's receipt of a standard certificate from the state in which the person participated in the accredited alternative certification program.