BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2039
85R9058 PAM-D	By: Huberty et al. (Zaffirini)
	Education
	5/18/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Current certification options for Texas educators are very broad and often leave teachers underprepared for the earliest years that students are in the classroom. Under existing policy, the certification to teach the youngest students spans from early education to sixth grade. The challenges of teaching students three or four years of age who are in prekindergarten are vastly different from the challenges that teachers face educating older students who could be preparing for STAAR testing. An early childhood certification would focus an educator's preparation more acutely to address these.

H.B. 2039 amends the Education Code to direct the State Board for Educator Certification to establish an early childhood certificate to ensure that there are teachers with special training in early childhood education focusing on prekindergarten through grade three.

H.B. 2039 amends current law relating to creating an early childhood certification to teach students in prekindergarten through grade three.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding Section 21.0489, as follows:

Sec. 21.0489. EARLY CHILDHOOD CERTIFICATION. (a) Requires the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), to ensure that there are teachers with special training in early childhood education focusing on prekindergarten through grade three, to establish an early childhood certificate.

(b) Provides that a person is not required to hold a certificate established under this section to be employed by a school district to provide instruction in prekindergarten through grade three.

(c) Requires a person, to be eligible for a certificate established under this section, to: �

(1) either complete certain course work or hold a certain early childhood certificate;

(2) perform satisfactorily on an early childhood certificate examination prescribed by SBEC; and

(3) satisfy any other requirements prescribed by SBEC.

(d) Requires that the criteria for the course of instruction described by Subsection (c)(1)(A) (relating to satisfactorily completing certain course work) be developed by SBEC in consultation with faculty members who provide instruction at institutions of higher education in education preparation programs for an early childhood through grade six certificate.

SECTION 2. Requires SBEC to propose rules:

(1) establishing requirements and prescribing an examination for an early childhood certificate examination as required by Section 21.0489, Education Code, as added by this Act; and

(2) establishing standards to govern the approval and renewal of approval of educator preparation programs for early childhood certification.

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.