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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to teacher certification in early childhood education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.050, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) The board shall propose rules requiring that a |
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certification in early childhood education, such as an early |
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childhood-grade four certification, include a minimum of six credit |
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hours of education courses emphasizing early childhood education or |
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early childhood development. The curriculum for the courses must |
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be based on National Association for the Education of Young |
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Children standards for professional preparation or comparable |
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standards. An early childhood education course provided under an |
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articulation agreement between or among institutions of higher |
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education may fulfill the curriculum requirements of this |
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subsection. The rules must require an educator preparation program |
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to offer courses or accept the transfer of credit for courses |
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described by this subsection. |
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SECTION 2. Section 21.051, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.051. OPTIONS FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE AND INTERNSHIPS. |
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(a) The board shall propose rules providing flexible options for |
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persons for any field experience or internship required for |
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certification. |
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(b) In this subsection, "child-care facility" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code. The |
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rules proposed under this section must allow a person seeking |
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certification in early childhood education, such as an early |
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childhood--grade 4 certification, to satisfy not more than half of |
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any field experience or internship requirement with relevant |
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supervised work experience with a public school, federal Head Start |
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program, or child-care facility that is operated in accordance with |
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National Association for the Education of Young Children |
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accreditation standards for early childhood programs or comparable |
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standards. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the State Board for Educator Certification shall |
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propose the rules required by Sections 21.050(d) and 21.051(b), |
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Education Code, as added by this Act. The rules proposed under |
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Section 21.050(d), Education Code, as added by this Act, must |
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provide for a transition period for imposing the curriculum |
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requirements of that subsection as a condition for certification in |
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early childhood education. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |