AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, establishing the process for continuing education requirements for classroom teachers is under the authority of the State Board of Education Certification (SBEC). Under SBEC rule, each classroom teacher is required to obtain 150 hours every five years in continuing professional education in order to renew their respective certifications. Principals and counselors are required to obtain 200 hours every five years in continuing professional education in order to renew their certifications. These requirements are extremely broad and, oftentimes, not meaningful for current day public schools, classrooms and students.
H.B. 642 requires that as SBEC sets the certification renewal process, 25 percent of continuing education requirements for classroom teachers, principals and counselors include instruction, within the five-year period, in certain subject areas.
The bill also requires SBEC to link continuing education requirements for a classroom teacher to any area identified as needing improvement in the classroom teachers annual appraisal.
Data-driven decisions, identifying at-risk students, the integration of technology, working with diverse populations, and focusing on ones respective content area will improve classroom effectiveness and student achievement. It is also true that principals and counselors must meet student and teacher needs moving into a new century of teaching and global competiveness.
H.B. 642 amends current law relating to continuing education requirements for certain educators.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board for Educator Certification in SECTION 2 of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 21.054, Education Code, by adding Subsections (d), (e), and (f), as follows:
(d) Requires that continuing education requirements for a classroom teacher provide that not more than 25 percent of the training required every five years include instruction regarding:
(1) collecting and analyzing information that will improve effectiveness in the classroom;
(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a student may be at risk of dropping out of school;
(3) integrating technology into classroom instruction;
(4) educating diverse student populations, including: students with disabilities, including mental health disorders, students who are educationally disadvantaged, students of limited English proficiency, and students at risk of dropping out of school; and
(5) increasing knowledge of the subject area taught by the educator.
(e) Requires that continuing education requirements for a principal provide that not more than 25 percent of the training required every five years include instruction regarding:
(1) effective and efficient management, including: collecting and analyzing information, making decisions and managing time, and supervising student discipline and managing behavior;
(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a student may be at risk of dropping out of school;
(3) integrating technology into campus curriculum and instruction;
(4) educating diverse student populations, including: students with disabilities, including mental health disorders, students who are educationally disadvantaged, students of limited English proficiency, and students at risk of dropping out of school; and
(5) providing instructional leadership, including: providing teacher support, maintaining community involvement, building professional learning communities, and recruiting, coaching, remediating, and retaining campus educators.
(f) Requires that continuing education requirements for a counselor provide that not more than 25 percent of training required every five years include instruction regarding:
(1) assisting students in developing high school graduation plans;
(2) implementing dropout prevention strategies; and
(3) informing students concerning: college admissions, including college financial aid resources and application procedures, and career opportunities.
SECTION 2. Requires the State Board for Educator Certification, not later than January 1, 2014, to propose rules implementing Section 21.054, Education Code, as amended by this Act.
SECTION 3. Provides that an educator subject to continuing education requirements immediately before the effective date of this Act is not required to comply with the continuing education requirements described by Section 21.054(d), (e), or (f), Education Code, as added by this Act, for any continuing education requirements period that ends before January 1, 2017.
SECTION 4. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2014-2015 school year.
SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 2013.