| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to measures to ensure quality prekindergarten programs |
|
|
offered by school districts. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 29.1532, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), |
|
|
and (h) to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) If a school district contracts with a private entity for |
|
|
the operation of the district's prekindergarten program, the |
|
|
program must at a minimum comply with the applicable child-care |
|
|
licensing standards adopted by the Department of Family and |
|
|
Protective [and Regulatory] Services under Section 42.042, Human |
|
|
Resources Code. A private entity is eligible to contract with the |
|
|
district if the entity is: |
|
|
(1) a Texas Rising Star Program provider with a |
|
|
three-star certification or higher; or |
|
|
(2) able to satisfy the agency's prekindergarten |
|
|
guidelines. |
|
|
(d) A school district shall implement in the district's |
|
|
prekindergarten program observation-based assessments and use the |
|
|
assessment results to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and |
|
|
to modify instruction methods used in the program. |
|
|
(e) A school district shall select and implement |
|
|
instruction methods and academic goals based on prekindergarten |
|
|
guidelines established by the agency and the Texas Rising Star |
|
|
Program or another nationally recognized accreditation early |
|
|
childhood education program. |
|
|
(f) Each teacher for a prekindergarten program class must: |
|
|
(1) be certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21; and |
|
|
(2) have been awarded or be working towards a Child |
|
|
Development Associate (CDA) credential. |
|
|
(g) Each prekindergarten class must have at least one |
|
|
teacher qualified under Subsection (f). A school district must |
|
|
maintain an average ratio in a prekindergarten class of not less |
|
|
than one qualified teacher, paraprofessional, or educational aide |
|
|
for each 10 students. |
|
|
(h) A school district shall require that 25 percent of the |
|
|
paraprofessionals or educational aids who are included in the |
|
|
student to instructor ratio required under Subsection (g) have been |
|
|
awarded or are actively working towards an associate's degree. |
|
|
This subsection does not apply to a paraprofessional or educational |
|
|
aide whose duties consist of only parental involvement activities |
|
|
or translation services. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
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. |