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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certification required to teach public school elective |
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courses on the Old and New Testaments and to students offered those |
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courses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 28.011(a) and (f), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A school district may offer to students in grade nine or |
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above and to students at any district middle or junior high school |
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that offers elective courses: |
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(1) an elective course on the Hebrew Scriptures (Old |
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Testament) and its impact and an elective course on the New |
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Testament and its impact; or |
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(2) an elective course that combines the courses |
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described by Subdivision (1). |
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(f) A teacher of a course offered under this section must |
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hold a certificate that qualifies the teacher to teach at the grade |
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level at which the course is offered regardless of the content or |
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subject area the certificate qualifies the teacher to teach |
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[minimum of a High School Composite Certification in language arts,
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social studies, or history with, where practical, a minor in
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religion or biblical studies]. A teacher selected to teach a course |
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under this section shall successfully complete staff development |
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training outlined in Section 21.459. A course under this section |
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may [only] be taught only by a teacher who has successfully |
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completed training under Section 21.459. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2011-2012 |
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school year. |
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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. |