By: Rose (Senate Sponsor - Watson) H.B. No. 2646

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2007; May 15, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 18, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 18, 2007, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the award of stipends to nationally certified classroom teachers under the educator excellence awards program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 21.705, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 21.705. AWARD PAYMENTS. A school district must use at least 60 percent of grant funds awarded to the district under this subchapter to directly award classroom teachers who effectively improve student achievement as determined by meaningful, objective measures. The remaining funds must be used only to:

(1) provide stipends to effective mentors or teacher coaches;

(2) provide stipends to classroom teachers who are certified in a subject that is designated by the commissioner as commonly experiencing a critical shortage of teachers;

(3) provide stipends to classroom teachers who are certified under Subchapter B in the main subject area in which they teach;

(4) provide stipends to classroom teachers with proven records of success for improving student performance who are assigned to campuses at which the district has experienced difficulty assigning or retaining teachers;

(5) provide stipends to classroom teachers who hold postgraduate degrees;

(6) provide stipends to classroom teachers who have obtained national board certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards;

(7) provide awards to principals who effectively increase student performance as determined by objective measures;

(8) [(7)] provide awards to other campus employees who demonstrate excellence; or

(9) [(8)] implement the components of a Teacher Advancement Program (TAP), including:

(A) an instructionally focused accountability system; and

(B) the adjustment of teaching schedules to permit ongoing applied professional growth.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 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, 2007.

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