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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a Junior Reserve Officer Training |
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Corps teaching certificate and eligibility of such certified |
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teacher for other educator certification. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 21.0487 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.0487. JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS TEACHER |
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CERTIFICATION. (a) The board shall establish a standard Junior |
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Reserve Officer Training Corps teaching certificate to provide |
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Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instruction. |
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(b) To be eligible for a certificate under this section, a |
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person must: |
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(1) hold a bachelor's degree from an institution of |
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higher education that is, and at the time the person received the |
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degree was, accredited or otherwise approved by an accrediting |
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organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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Board; |
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(2) satisfy the eligibility and testing requirements |
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for certification as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps |
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instructor established by the branch of service in which the person |
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served; and |
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(3) complete an approved educator preparation |
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program. |
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(c) The board shall propose rules to: |
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(1) approve educator preparation programs to prepare a |
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person as a teacher for certification under this section; and |
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(2) establish requirements under which: |
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(A) a person's training and experience acquired |
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during the person's military service serves as proof of the person's |
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demonstration of subject matter knowledge if that training and |
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experience is verified by the branch of service in which the person |
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served; and |
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(B) a person's employment by a school district as |
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a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor before the |
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person was enrolled in an educator preparation program or while the |
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person is enrolled in an educator preparation program is applied to |
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satisfy any student teaching, internship, or field-based |
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experience program requirement. |
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(d) A person is not required to hold a certificate |
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established under this section to be employed by a school district |
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as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor. |
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SECTION 2. Section 21.046, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) For purposes of satisfying eligibility requirements for |
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certification as a principal, a teacher who is certified under |
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Section 21.0487: |
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(1) is considered to hold a classroom teaching |
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certificate; and |
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(2) may apply as creditable years of teaching |
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experience as a classroom teacher any period during which the |
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teacher was employed by a school district as a Junior Reserve |
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Officer Training Corps instructor before or after the teacher was |
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certified under Section 21.0487. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Board |
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for Educator Certification shall propose rules relating to the |
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establishment of a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps teaching |
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certificate as provided by Section 21.0487, Education Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |