S.B. No. 1309

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps teaching certificate and eligibility of such certified teacher for other educator certification.

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

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.

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.

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 4. 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.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1309 passed the Senate on April 30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; and that the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1309 passed the House, with amendment, on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 1, two present not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

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Date

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Governor