BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 1497

By: Schaefer

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

According to interested parties, local school officials can only hire uncertified teachers on a school district teaching permit with approval from the Texas Education Agency following a review process that is not clearly outlined. The parties suggest that, following the passage of recent sweeping education legislation, the increased demand for career and technology education teachers is hard to meet within the current teacher certification and teaching permit structure. C.S.H.B. 1497 seeks to simplify the local school district teaching permit process with regard to career and technology education.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

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

 

C.S.H.B. 1497 amends the Education Code to authorize a school district board of trustees to issue a school district teaching permit to a person who will teach only courses in career and technology education if the following conditions are met:

·         the superintendent of the school district certifies to the board that the person is qualified to teach the subject matter based on the person's demonstrated expertise obtained through professional work experience, formal training and education, or a combination of experience, training, and education, is capable of proper classroom management, and has been the subject of a criminal history record information review; and

·         the person is required to obtain at least 30 hours of classroom management training, including courses that contain curriculum regarding professional practices and responsibilities and the code of ethics and standard practices for educators in Texas that is comparable to the curriculum regarding those topics that is required to be included in educator preparation curriculum under rules of the State Board for Educator Certification and to comply with continuing education requirements as determined by the board.

The bill authorizes a person who receives a school district teaching permit in this manner to teach the subject matter described in the permit immediately on issuance of the permit.

 

C.S.H.B. 1497 requires the board, promptly after employing a person under a school district teaching permit in this manner, to send to the commissioner of education a written statement that identifies the person, specifies the course or courses the person will teach, and describes the person's qualifications to teach the course or courses. The bill exempts a person who will teach only courses in career and technology education from certain statutory school district teaching permit requirements. The bill's provisions apply beginning with the 2015–2016 school year.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 1497 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

INTRODUCED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1. Section 21.055, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b) To be eligible for a school district teaching permit under this section, a person must hold a baccalaureate degree. [This subsection does not apply to a person who will teach only career and technology education.]

(d-1) Subsections (b), (c), and (d) do not apply to a person who will teach only career and technical education.

A school board may issue a school district teaching permit to a person who will teach courses only in career and technical education based upon qualifications certified by the superintendent of the school district.

Qualifications must include demonstrated subject matter expertise obtained through professional work experience, or formal training and education, or a combination thereof. The superintendent of the school district shall certify to the school board that the new employee has undergone a criminal background check and is capable of proper classroom management.

 

 

A school district shall require the new employee to obtain at least twenty (20) hours of classroom management training,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and shall comply with continuing education requirements as determined by the school board.

The person may teach a career and technical education course immediately upon issuance of the permit.

 

 

The school board, promptly after employing a person under this subsection, shall send to the commissioner a written statement identifying the person, the course(s) the person will teach, and the person's qualifications to teach the course(s).

 

SECTION 1. Section 21.055, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (e) and adding Subsections (d-1), (d-2), and (d-3) to read as follows:

(a) As provided by this section, a school district or school district board of trustees may issue a school district teaching permit and employ as a teacher a person who does not hold a teaching certificate issued by the board.

(b) To be eligible for a school district teaching permit under this section, a person must hold a baccalaureate degree. [This subsection does not apply to a person who will teach only career and technology education.]

(d-1) Subsections (b), (c), and (d) do not apply to a person who will teach only courses in career and technology education. A school district board of trustees may issue a school district teaching permit to a person who will teach only courses in career and technology education if:

(1) the superintendent of the district certifies to the board of trustees that the person:

(A) is qualified to teach the subject matter, based on the person's demonstrated expertise obtained through professional work experience, formal training and education, or a combination of experience, training, and education;

(B) is capable of proper classroom management; and

(C) has been the subject of a criminal history record information review under Subchapter C, Chapter 22; and

(2) the person is required to:

(A) obtain at least 30 hours of classroom management training, including courses that contain curriculum regarding professional practices and responsibilities and the code of ethics and standard practices for educators in this state that is comparable to the curriculum regarding those topics that is required to be included in educator preparation curriculum under rules of the State Board for Educator Certification; and

(B) comply with continuing education requirements as determined by the board of trustees.

(d-2) A person who receives a school district teaching permit under Subsection (d-1) may teach the subject matter described in the permit immediately on issuance of the permit.

(d-3) Promptly after employing a person under a school district teaching permit under Subsection (d-1), the school district board of trustees shall send to the commissioner a written statement that identifies the person, specifies the course or courses that the person will teach, and describes the person's qualifications to teach the course or courses.

(e) A person authorized to teach under this section may not teach in another school district unless that district or the board of trustees for that district complies with this section. A school district teaching permit remains valid unless the district or board of trustees issuing the permit revokes it for cause.

SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.

 

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.

SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.