80R10719 KKA-D
 
  By: Eissler H.B. No. 3421
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to accountability systems for public school educator
preparation programs.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Section 21.045, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a), (b), and (d) and adding Subsection (e) to
read as follows:
       (a)  The commissioner [board] shall adopt [propose] rules
establishing standards to govern the approval and continuing
accountability of all educator preparation programs based on
information that is disaggregated with respect to sex and ethnicity
and that includes:
             (1)  results of the certification examinations
prescribed under Section 21.048(a); [and]
             (2)  performance based on the appraisal system for
beginning teachers adopted by the board;
             (3)  performance of students taught by beginning
teachers for the first three years following certification, as
determined on the basis of the measure of annual improvement under
Section 39.034 and any other factor considered appropriate by the
commissioner; and
             (4)  perseverance of beginning teachers in the
profession, as determined on the basis of the number of beginning
teachers who maintain active status in the Teacher Retirement
System of Texas for at least five years after certification.
       (b)  Each educator preparation program shall submit data
elements as required by the commissioner [board] for an annual
performance report to ensure access and equity. At a minimum, the
annual report must contain the performance data from Subsection
(a), other than the data required for purposes of Subsection
(a)(3), and the following information, disaggregated by sex and
ethnicity:
             (1)  the number of candidates who apply;
             (2)  the number of candidates admitted;
             (3)  the number of candidates retained;
             (4)  the number of candidates completing the program;
             (5)  the number of candidates employed in the
profession after completing the program; and
             (6)  the number of candidates retained in the
profession.
       (d)  The commissioner [executive director of the board]
shall appoint an oversight team of educators to make
recommendations and provide assistance to educator preparation
programs that do not meet accreditation standards. If, after one
year, an educator preparation program has not fulfilled the
recommendations of the oversight team, the commissioner [executive
director] shall appoint a person to administer and manage the
operations of the program. Promptly on appointment, the person
shall, on behalf of the managed program, pursue tentative
agreements with other educator preparation programs for the
acceptance into those programs of the managed program's students if
the approval of the managed program is subsequently revoked. If the
program does not improve after two years, the commissioner [board]
shall revoke the approval of the program to prepare educators for
state certification.
       (e)  A revocation under Subsection (d) must be effective for
a period of at least one year. After one year, the program may seek
renewed approval to prepare educators for state certification.
       SECTION 2.  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.