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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certification of an educator in Texas who is certified |
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in another state or country. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.052, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (e), (f), (g), and |
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(h) to read as follows: |
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(a) The board may issue a certificate to an educator who |
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applies for a certificate and: |
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(1) holds: |
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(A) a degree issued by an institution accredited |
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by a regional accrediting agency or group that is recognized by a |
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nationally recognized accreditation board; or |
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(B) a degree issued by an institution located in |
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a foreign country, if the degree is equivalent to a degree described |
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by Paragraph (A); |
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(2) holds an appropriate certificate or other |
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credential issued by another state or country; and |
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(3) performs satisfactorily on: |
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(A) the examination prescribed under Section |
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21.048; or |
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(B) if the educator holds a certificate or other |
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credential issued by another state or country, an examination |
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similar to and at least as rigorous as that described by Paragraph |
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(A) administered to the educator under the authority of that state. |
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(e) An educator who receives a certificate as provided by |
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Subsection (a) must perform satisfactorily on the examination |
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prescribed under Section 21.048 not later than the first |
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anniversary of the date the certificate under Subsection (a) was |
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issued. |
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(f) The board shall post on the board's Internet website the |
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procedures for obtaining a certificate under Subsection (a). |
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(g) The commissioner shall provide guidance to school |
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districts that employ an educator certified as provided by |
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Subsection (a) on procedures to classify the educator as a highly |
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qualified teacher in a manner consistent with the No Child Left |
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Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.). |
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(h) This subsection applies only to an applicant who holds a |
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certificate or other credential issued by another state or country |
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in mathematics, science, special education, or bilingual education |
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or another subject area that the commissioner determines has a |
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shortage of teachers. In any state fiscal year, the board shall |
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accept or reject, not later than the 14th day after the date the |
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board receives the completed application, at least 90 percent of |
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the applications the board receives for a certificate under this |
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subsection, and shall accept or reject all completed applications |
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the board receives under this subsection not later than the 30th day |
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after the date the board receives the completed application. An |
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applicant under this subsection must submit: |
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(1) a letter of good standing from the state or country |
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in which the teacher is certified on a form determined by the board; |
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(2) information necessary to complete a national |
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criminal history record information review; and |
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(3) an application fee as required by the board. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2009. |
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