BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1585

By: Farias

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that a significant number of economically disadvantaged Texas public school students are taught by teachers with relatively little experience and that while teacher turnover in districts and campuses with high percentages of economically disadvantaged students is recognized as a problem, Texas does not offer any programs to specifically address the concern. It has been suggested that the Teach for Texas loan repayment assistance program could be enhanced to provide state assistance for teacher retention at hard-to-staff campuses. H.B. 1585 seeks to implement such an enhancement as it relates to certain eligibility requirements of the program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1585 amends the Education Code to include as a person to whom Teach for Texas loan repayment assistance is available a certified educator who applies for assistance and has for at least one year taught full-time at, and is currently teaching full-time at, the preschool, primary, or secondary level in a Texas public school in which more than 50 percent of the students enrolled are economically disadvantaged, as identified by the commissioner of education for the year in which the person receives the assistance. The bill specifies that repayment assistance is available to a certified teacher who has for at least one year taught full-time at, and is currently teaching full-time at, the preschool, primary, or secondary level in a Texas public school in Texas at which it is difficult to attract or retain educators as identified by the commissioner, rather than in a Texas public school in a community identified by the commissioner as experiencing a critical shortage of teachers. The bill requires the commissioner to annually identify Texas public schools at which it is difficult to attract or retain educators and in which more than 50 percent of the students enrolled are economically disadvantaged. The bill adds applicants who teach at a school at which it is difficult to attract or retain educators or in which more than 50 percent of the students enrolled are economically disadvantaged as applicants to whom the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is required to give priority in awarding repayment assistance.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.