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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to substitution of certain career and technology courses |
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for certain mathematics and science courses otherwise required |
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under the recommended high school program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.044. EDUCATOR PREPARATION. (a) The board shall |
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propose rules establishing the training requirements a person must |
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accomplish to obtain a certificate, enter an internship, or enter |
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an induction-year program. The board shall specify the minimum |
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academic qualifications required for a certificate. |
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(b) In proposing rules under this section, the board shall |
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specify that to obtain a certificate to teach an "applied STEM |
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course," as that term is defined by Section 28.027, at a secondary |
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school, a person must: |
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(1) pass the certification test administered by the |
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recognized national or international business and industry group |
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that created the curriculum the applied STEM course is based on; and |
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(2) have at a minimum: |
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(A) an associate degree from an accredited |
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institution of higher education; and |
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(B) three years of work experience in an |
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occupation for which the applied STEM course is intended to prepare |
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the student. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.027 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.027. APPLIED SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND |
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MATHEMATICS COURSES. (a) In this section, "applied STEM course" |
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means an applied science, technology, engineering, or mathematics |
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course offered as part of a school district's career and technology |
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education curriculum. |
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(b) The State Board of Education shall establish a process |
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under which an applied STEM course may be reviewed and approved for |
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purposes of satisfying the mathematics and science curriculum |
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requirements for the recommended high school program imposed under |
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Section 28.025(b-1)(1)(A) through substitution of the applied STEM |
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course for a specific mathematics or science course otherwise |
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required under the recommended high school program and completed |
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during the student's fourth year of mathematics or science course |
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work. |
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(c) The process must provide that an applied STEM course is |
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entitled to be approved for the purpose described by Subsection (b) |
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if the course meets the following requirements: |
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(1) the applied STEM course is part of a curriculum |
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created by a recognized national or international business and |
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industry group to prepare a student for a national or international |
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business and industry certification or license; |
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(2) the applied STEM course qualifies as: |
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(A) a dual credit course; or |
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(B) an articulated postsecondary course provided |
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for local credit or articulated postsecondary advanced technical |
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credit course provided for state credit; |
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(3) the essential knowledge and skills covered in the |
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applied STEM course are equivalent to the essential knowledge and |
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skills covered in the mathematics or science course for which the |
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applied STEM course is proposed to be approved for substitution; |
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and |
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(4) the applied STEM course: |
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(A) provides substantial mathematics content or |
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science content, as applicable, taught in an applied or symbolic |
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format, that enables a student to develop relevant critical |
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thinking skills necessary for preparation for employment or |
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additional training in a career identified by the Texas Workforce |
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Commission as a high-demand or emerging occupation; and |
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(B) incorporates college and career readiness |
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skills. |
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(d) If an applied STEM course approved under this section is |
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part of a coherent sequence of career and technology courses, a |
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student is eligible to enroll in the applied STEM course for the |
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purpose described in Subsection (b) only if the student has |
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completed the prerequisite course work, if any, for the applied |
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STEM course. |
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(e) Notwithstanding Section 39.023(c) or 39.025, a student |
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who enrolls in an applied STEM course approved under this section as |
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a substitute for a course for which an end-of-course assessment |
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instrument is adopted under Section 39.023(c) shall be assessed |
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using the assessment instrument developed for the applied STEM |
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course by the recognized national or international business and |
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industry group that created the applied STEM course curriculum. |
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The calculation of the student's performance on the assessment |
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instrument must comply with all applicable rules. |
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SECTION 3. Subsection (b-2), Section 28.025, Education |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(b-2) In adopting rules under Subsection (b-1), the State |
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Board of Education shall allow a student to comply with the |
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curriculum requirements for a mathematics [course under Subsection
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(b-1)(1) taken after the successful completion of an Algebra II
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course] or science course under Subsection (b-1)(1) [taken after
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the successful completion of a physics course] by successfully |
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completing an advanced career and technical course designated by |
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the State Board of Education as containing substantively similar |
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and rigorous academic content. The rules may not require Algebra II |
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as a prerequisite for an applied STEM course that is permitted to be |
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substituted for a mathematics course under Section 28.027 or a |
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physics course as a prerequisite for an applied STEM course that is |
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permitted to be substituted for a science course under Section |
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28.027 [A student may use the option provided by this subsection for
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not more than two courses]. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0517 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0517. APPLIED STEM COURSES. (a) In this section, |
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"applied STEM course" means an applied science, technology, |
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engineering, or mathematics course offered as part of a school |
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district's career and technology education curriculum and |
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approved, as provided by Section 28.027, by the State Board of |
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Education for purposes of satisfying the mathematics and science |
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curriculum requirements for the recommended high school program |
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imposed under Section 28.025(b-1)(1)(A). |
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(b) The board shall ensure that academic credit for an |
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applied STEM course is freely transferable among all institutions |
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of higher education in this state. |
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(c) The board shall include applied STEM courses in the |
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board's listing of courses approved for offer by a public junior |
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college or public technical institute. |
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SECTION 5. Not later than September 1, 2012, the |
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commissioner of education shall establish and implement the process |
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required by Section 28.027, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 6. 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. |