80R8712 SLO-D

By: Vaught H.B. No. 3806

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the distribution of funds at the local level under the awards for student achievement program and the educator excellence awards program.

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

SECTION 1. Section 21.656(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) An eligible campus must use a portion [75 percent] of a grant award received under Section 21.655 to provide incentive payments to classroom teachers assigned to the campus. To the extent practicable, the campus shall pay a classroom teacher an incentive payment in an amount of not less than $3,000 or more than $10,000.

SECTION 2. Section 21.657(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) An eligible campus must use any portion [25 percent] of a grant award received under Section 21.655 that is not used to provide incentive payments to classroom teachers under Section 21.656 for:

(1) incentive payments to campus employees other than classroom teachers, such as principals, assistant principals, teachers who are not eligible for an incentive payment under Section 21.656, counselors, speech therapists, instructional coaches, teacher's aides, nurses, librarians, members of the custodial staff, or other campus employees who have contributed to improved student achievement;

(2) professional development for classroom teachers who:

(A) do not receive an incentive payment under Section 21.656; and

(B) would benefit from professional development to develop or enhance skills and behaviors described under Section 21.656(b);

(3) reimbursement or funding for a professional development activity that directly contributes to improved classroom instruction and student achievement;

(4) signing bonuses for classroom teachers new to the campus who are teaching subjects that have been designated by the commissioner as historically experiencing a critical shortage of teachers;

(5) a teacher mentoring program that meets the requirements of Section 21.458;

(6) an activity that supports new teacher induction programs, including:

(A) common planning time and collaboration;

(B) a professional development activity; and

(C) standards-based evaluations;

(7) an activity that supports common planning time and curriculum development;

(8) a program that has been proven to recruit and retain highly effective teachers;

(9) an activity that creates or furthers the goals of an incentive system designed to improve student achievement;

(10) stipends for teachers who participate in an after-school or Saturday program that directly contributes to improved classroom instruction and student achievement;

(11) stipends for teachers who are certified under Subchapter B in the main subject area in which they teach;

(12) stipends for teachers who hold a postgraduate degree;

(13) additional funding for feeder campuses that, because they are not assigned performance ratings under Chapter 39, do not qualify to participate in the program, such as campuses that serve kindergarten through grade two, to implement an activity described by this section; and

(14) any other program that directly contributes to improved student achievement.

SECTION 3. Section 21.705, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 21.705. AWARD PAYMENTS. A school district must use a portion [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 awards to principals who effectively increase student performance as determined by objective measures;

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

(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 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2007-2008 school year.

SECTION 5. 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.