By: Kolkhorst S.B. No. 925

(In the Senate - Filed March 3, 2015; March 9, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 20, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; April 20, 2015, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 925 By: Kolkhorst

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to providing training academies for public school teachers who provide reading instruction to students in kindergarten through grade five.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 21.4552 to read as follows:

Sec. 21.4552. TEACHER LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMIES. (a) The commissioner shall develop and make available literacy achievement academies for teachers who provide:

(1) reading instruction to students at the kindergarten or first, second, or third grade level; and

(2) reading comprehension instruction to students at the fourth or fifth grade level.

(b) A literacy achievement academy developed under this section:

(1) must include training in:

(A) effective and systematic instructional practices in reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; and

(B) the use of empirically validated instructional methods that are appropriate for struggling readers; and

(2) may include training in effective instructional practices in writing.

(c) The commissioner shall adopt criteria for selecting teachers who may attend a literacy achievement academy. In adopting selection criteria under this subsection, the commissioner shall require granting a priority to teachers employed by a school district at a campus at which 50 percent or more of the students enrolled are educationally disadvantaged.

(d) From funds appropriated for that purpose, a teacher who attends a literacy achievement academy is entitled to receive a stipend in the amount determined by the commissioner. A stipend received under this subsection is not considered in determining whether a school district is paying the teacher the minimum monthly salary under Section 21.402.

(e) On request of the commissioner, regional education service centers shall assist the commissioner and agency with training and other activities relating to the development and operation of literacy achievement academies.

SECTION 2. 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.

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