By: Seliger, Van de Putte S.B. No. 158

(In the Senate - Filed December 21, 2006; January 29, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; March 20, 2007, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 20, 2007, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 158 By: Janek

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the certification and employment of educational diagnosticians.

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

SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 21.003, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) A person may not be employed as a teacher, teacher intern or teacher trainee, librarian, educational aide, administrator, educational diagnostician, or counselor by a school district unless the person holds an appropriate certificate or permit issued as provided by Subchapter B.

SECTION 2. Section 21.401, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(d) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to a contract between a school district and an educational diagnostician.

SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2008, the State Board for Educator Certification shall propose rules governing the certification of educational diagnosticians.

SECTION 4. Subsection (a), Section 21.003, Education Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a person who begins employment with a school district as an educational diagnostician on or after September 1, 2008. A person employed by a school district as an educational diagnostician before September 1, 2008, may continue employment with the school district without obtaining a certificate or permit as an educational diagnostician as required by Subsection (a), Section 21.003, Education Code, as amended by this Act, so long as the person is employed by that district.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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