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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authorization for the operation in certain counties of |
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an educator preparation program with an internship program |
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component. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter P to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER P. EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM WITH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM |
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COMPONENT IN CERTAIN COUNTIES |
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Sec. 21.801. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "institution |
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of higher education" means a public senior college or university, |
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as defined by Section 61.003, or a private or independent |
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institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003. |
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Sec. 21.802. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only |
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to: |
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(1) a school district located wholly or partly in a |
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county with a population of one million or more and in which more |
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than 80 percent of the population resides in a single municipality; |
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and |
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(2) an institution of higher education located wholly |
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or partly in a county described by Subdivision (1). |
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Sec. 21.803. EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM WITH INTERNSHIP |
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PROGRAM COMPONENT. As provided by this subchapter, an institution |
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of higher education may operate a graduate level educator |
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preparation program that includes, in collaboration with one or |
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more school districts, an internship program component. |
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Sec. 21.804. APPROVAL FOR PROGRAM. (a) The State Board for |
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Educator Certification shall propose rules, consistent with this |
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subchapter, establishing the standards governing the approval of an |
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educator preparation program with an internship program component. |
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(b) In proposing rules under Subsection (a), the State Board |
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for Educator Certification shall require an institution of higher |
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education to submit with an application a proposal with evidence of |
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the institution's collaboration with one or more school districts |
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to create an educator preparation program curriculum with an |
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internship program component that is responsive to the needs of |
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those districts. The proposal must include the following regarding |
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the educator preparation program: |
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(1) a curriculum; |
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(2) criteria for admission; |
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(3) a description of program delivery and evaluation; |
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(4) an internship program component, including: |
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(A) a general description of the internship |
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program; |
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(B) selection criteria for mentor teachers for |
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interns; |
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(C) a description of support and communication |
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among interns, mentor teachers, collaborating school districts, |
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and the educator preparation program; |
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(D) a description of intern supervision; and |
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(E) a description of the manner in which interns |
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are evaluated; and |
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(5) a plan to provide to program students for the |
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duration of the program educational and professional support |
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through seminars and professional development opportunities. |
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(c) The agency staff shall review and, as appropriate, |
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recommend to the State Board for Educator Certification whether an |
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application and proposal should be approved. |
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Sec. 21.805. INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS. (a) A student |
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enrolled in an educator preparation program under this subchapter |
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may not begin the internship program component before completing |
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the field-based experience required by State Board for Educator |
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Certification rule. |
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(b) The educator preparation program shall facilitate a |
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one-year paid internship contract between a program student and a |
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collaborating school district. The student and the district shall |
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negotiate the salary and benefits under the contract. |
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(c) The educator preparation program shall conduct |
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evaluations of each intern's professional development at the end of |
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each semester to ensure that the intern is making satisfactory |
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progress toward full educator certification. |
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(d) As part of the internship program, the intern must apply |
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for a probationary educator certificate. The educator preparation |
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program shall assist the intern in submitting an application for a |
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probationary certificate. |
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(e) As part of the internship program, the collaborating |
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school district shall assign a mentor teacher to the intern. During |
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the internship, the intern shall observe the mentor teacher |
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providing instruction to students for at least two hours at least |
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twice each semester, and the mentor teacher shall observe the |
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intern providing instruction to students for at least two hours at |
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least twice each semester. |
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(f) The educator preparation program shall maintain all |
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records verifying the intern's professional development, |
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evaluations of performance, and documentation relating to educator |
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certification. |
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Sec. 21.806. POST-INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS. The educator |
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preparation program shall, after a student has successfully |
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completed all educator preparation program requirements, including |
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the internship program, recommend, in conjunction with the |
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collaborating school district, the student to the State Board for |
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Educator Certification for appropriate educator certification. |
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Sec. 21.807. ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF INSTITUTION OF |
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HIGHER EDUCATION UNDER PROGRAM. In addition to providing direct |
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educator preparation program services to program students, the |
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institution of higher education providing the educator preparation |
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program shall provide: |
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(1) an orientation for administrators of |
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collaborating school districts regarding district responsibilities |
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to supervise, support, and evaluate the professional development of |
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interns; |
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(2) mentor training to district mentor teachers |
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assigned to interns; and |
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(3) an orientation for educators of collaborating |
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districts and program students regarding applicable State Board for |
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Educator Certification rules. |
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Sec. 21.808. RESPONSIBILITIES OF COLLABORATING SCHOOL |
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DISTRICTS. A school district that collaborates with an institution |
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of higher education to offer an educator preparation program under |
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this subchapter shall: |
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(1) make available one-year paid internship contracts |
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for interns in the program; |
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(2) recruit mentor teachers to assign to interns |
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employed by the district; |
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(3) supervise, support, and evaluate the professional |
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development of the intern during the intern's internship with the |
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district; and |
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(4) to the extent money is appropriated for the |
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purpose, pay a stipend to a mentor teacher at the end of each |
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semester that the teacher serves as a mentor teacher to an intern. |
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Sec. 21.809. EXAMINATION. (a) After a student's |
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completion of an educator preparation program under this |
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subchapter, the student shall complete at least two practice |
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educator certification examinations. |
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(b) A student is not required to complete more than two |
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practice examinations if the candidate completes a practice |
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examination with a minimum score of 80 percent. |
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Sec. 21.810. The State Board for Educator Certification |
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shall propose rules as necessary for the administration of this |
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subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2012, the State Board |
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for Educator Certification shall propose rules as necessary |
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relating to an educator preparation program with an internship |
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program component as described by Subchapter P, Chapter 21, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2011. |