BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 1309

By: Menéndez

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) instructors are valuable members of the teaching community. After years of service, many instructors express interest in finding permanent teaching positions in Texas schools. However, this process can take years because the state does not currently recognize the hours spent as a JROTC instructor toward those hours required for a teaching certificate. C.S.S.B. 1309 seeks to remedy this issue.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board for Educator Certification in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 1309 amends the Education Code to require the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to establish a standard Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) teaching certificate to provide JROTC instruction. The bill requires a person, in order to be eligible for the certificate, to hold a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education that is, and at the time the person received the degree was, accredited or otherwise approved by an accrediting organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, to satisfy the eligibility and testing requirements for certification as a JROTC instructor established by the branch of service in which the person served, and to complete an approved educator preparation program.

C.S.S.B. 1309 requires SBEC to propose rules to approve educator preparation programs to prepare a person as a teacher for JROTC teaching certification and establish requirements under which a person's training and experience acquired during the person's military service serves as proof of the person's demonstration of subject matter knowledge if that training and experience is verified by the branch of service in which the person served and under which a person's employment by a school district as a JROTC instructor before the person was enrolled in an educator preparation program or while the person is enrolled in an educator preparation program is applied to satisfy any student teaching, internship, or field-based experience program requirement. The bill establishes that a person is not required to hold a JROTC teaching certificate to be employed by a school district as a JROTC instructor. The bill requires SBEC, not later than January 1, 2016, to propose rules relating to the establishment of a JROTC teaching certificate.

C.S.S.B. 1309 establishes that, for purposes of satisfying eligibility requirements for certification as a principal, a teacher who holds a JROTC teaching certificate is considered to hold a classroom teaching certificate and may apply as creditable years of teaching experience as a classroom teacher any period during which the teacher was employed by a school district as a JROTC instructor before or after the teacher was certified as such.

EFFECTIVE DATE

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

COMPARISON OF SENATE ENGROSSED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.S.B. 1309 may differ from the engrossed in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the engrossed and committee substitute versions of the bill.

SENATE ENGROSSED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 21.052, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 21.052. CERTIFICATION OF EDUCATORS FROM OUTSIDE JURISDICTION [THE STATE].	No equivalent provision.
SECTION 2. Section 21.052, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: (a) The board may issue a certificate to an educator who applies for a certificate and: (1) holds[: [(A)] a degree issued by: (A) an institution accredited by a regional accrediting agency or group that is recognized by a nationally recognized accreditation board; or (B) [a degree issued by] an institution located in a foreign country, if the degree is equivalent to a degree described by Paragraph (A); (2) holds: (A) an appropriate certificate or other credential issued by another state or country; or (B) a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor teaching certification issued by the United States Department of Defense, United States Army, United States Navy, United States Air Force, or United States Marine Corps; and (3) performs satisfactorily on: (A) the examination prescribed under Section 21.048; or (B) if the educator holds a certificate or other credential issued by another state or country, an examination similar to and at least as rigorous as that described by Paragraph (A) administered to the educator under the authority of that state. (a-1) For purposes of Subsection (a)(1), the board may not impose on an applicant who holds a teaching certification described by Subsection (a)(2)(B) requirements described by Section 21.050 in connection with the degree requirement.	No equivalent provision. (But see SECTION 1 below.)
No equivalent provision. (But see SECTION 2 above.)	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 21.0487 to read as follows: Sec. 21.0487. JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS TEACHER CERTIFICATION. (a) The board shall establish a standard Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps teaching certificate to provide Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instruction. (b) To be eligible for a certificate under this section, a person must: (1) hold a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education that is, and at the time the person received the degree was, accredited or otherwise approved by an accrediting organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; (2) satisfy the eligibility and testing requirements for certification as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor established by the branch of service in which the person served; and (3) complete an approved educator preparation program. (c) The board shall propose rules to: (1) approve educator preparation programs to prepare a person as a teacher for certification under this section; and (2) establish requirements under which: (A) a person's training and experience acquired during the person's military service serves as proof of the person's demonstration of subject matter knowledge if that training and experience is verified by the branch of service in which the person served; and (B) a person's employment by a school district as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor before the person was enrolled in an educator preparation program or while the person is enrolled in an educator preparation program is applied to satisfy any student teaching, internship, or field-based experience program requirement. (d) A person is not required to hold a certificate established under this section to be employed by a school district as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor.
No equivalent provision.	SECTION 2. Section 21.046, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: (e) For purposes of satisfying eligibility requirements for certification as a principal, a teacher who is certified under Section 21.0487: (1) is considered to hold a classroom teaching certificate; and (2) may apply as creditable years of teaching experience as a classroom teacher any period during which the teacher was employed by a school district as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor before or after the teacher was certified under Section 21.0487.
No equivalent provision.	SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Board for Educator Certification shall propose rules relating to the establishment of a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps teaching certificate as provided by Section 21.0487, Education Code, as added by this Act.
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 4. Same as engrossed version.