BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 3044

By: Huberty

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties contend that candidates for certification as a teacher of record would benefit from a greater variety of available options for obtaining requisite field-based experience for such certification. C.S.H.B. 3044 seeks to address this issue by improving the quality and accessibility of such experience.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

 

ANALYSIS

 

C.S.H.B. 3044 amends the Education Code to add serving as a substitute teacher or teacher's aide for at least five school days as an alternative method for satisfying the requirement that a candidate for certification as a teacher of record complete the requisite field-based experience. The bill authorizes the requisite field-based experience to occur after the candidate's admission to an educator preparation program or during the two years preceding admission.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2017.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 3044 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

INTRODUCED

HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

SECTION 1.  Subsection 21.051 Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 21.051.  RULES REGARDING FIELD-BASED EXPERIENCE AND OPTIONS FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE AND INTERNSHIPS.  (a)  In this section, "teacher of record" means a person employed by a school district who teaches the majority of the instructional day in an academic instructional setting and is responsible for evaluating student achievement and assigning grades.

(b)  Before a school district may employ a candidate for certification as a teacher of record, the candidate must complete at least 15 hours of field-based experience, which may be obtained up to two years prior to, or subsequent to, admission in an educator preparation program. These field-based experiences may be obtained by observation of a Texas certified teacher in which the candidate is actively engaged in instructional or educational activities, or by serving as a substitute teacher or teachers aide under supervision at:

(1)  at a public school campus accredited or approved for the purpose by the agency; or

(2)  at a private school recognized or approved for the purpose by the agency.

 

 

 

 

(c)  Subsection (b) applies only to an initial certification issued on or after September 1, 2012. Subsection (b) does not affect:

(1)  the validity of a certification issued before September 1, 2012; or

(2)  the eligibility of a person who holds a certification issued before September 1, 2012, to obtain a subsequent renewal of the certification in accordance with board rule.

(d)  Subsection (b) does not affect the period within which an individual must complete field-based experience hours as determined by board rule if the individual is not accepted into an educator preparation program before the deadline prescribed by board rule and is hired for a teaching assignment by a school district after the deadline prescribed by board rule.

(e)  The board shall propose rules relating to the field-based experience required by Subsection (b).  The commissioner by rule shall adopt procedures and standards for recognizing a private school under Subsection (b)(2).

(f)  The board shall propose rules providing flexible options for persons for any field-based experience or internship required for certification.

 

SECTION 1.  Section 21.051(b), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b)  Before a school district may employ a candidate for certification as a teacher of record, the candidate must complete at least 15 hours of field-based experience, which may occur after the candidate's admission to an educator preparation program or during the two years preceding admission. The candidate may satisfy the experience requirement through  serving as a substitute teacher or teacher's aide for at least five school days or through other experience requiring the candidate's active engagement in instructional or educational activities.  The experience must be obtained [in which the candidate is actively engaged in instructional or educational activities under supervision] at:

(1)  a public school campus accredited or approved for the purpose by the agency; or

(2)  a private school recognized or approved for the purpose by the agency.

 

 

SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

 

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.