BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3349
85R26323 PAM-D	By: Gervin-Hawkins et al. (Taylor, Van)
	Education
	5/19/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Interested parties contend that there is a shortage of technical skills educators, which has resulted in a shortage of trained workers in the technical professions. These parties also note that a large number of skilled employees are becoming eligible for retirement, creating a pool of potential teachers for their respective fields. H.B. 3349 addresses this issue by creating an abbreviated educator preparation program for a candidate seeking certification in trade and industrial workforce training. 

H.B. 3349 amends current law relating to creating an abbreviated certification program and probationary and standard certificates for trade and industrial workforce training.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Authority to propose rules is expressly granted to the State Board for Educator Certification in SECTION 1 (Sections 21.0442 and 21.0491, Education Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding Sections 21.0442 and 21.0491, as follows:

Sec. 21.0442. EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM FOR PROBATIONARY AND STANDARD TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CERTIFICATES. (a) Requires the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to propose rules under this subchapter (Certification of Educators) to create an abbreviated educator preparation program for a person seeking certification in trade and industrial workforce training.

(b) Provides that a person is eligible for admission to an educator preparation program created under this section only if the person meets certain criteria.

(c) Requires SBEC, in proposing rules for an educator preparation program, to ensure that the program requires at least 80 hours of classroom instruction in certain areas.

Sec. 21.0491. PROBATIONARY AND STANDARD TRADE AND INDUSTRIAL WORKFORCE TRAINING CERTIFICATES. (a) Requires SBEC, to provide a continuing additional source of teachers to provide workforce training, to establish a probationary trade and industrial workforce training certificate and a standard trade and industrial workforce training certificate that is authorized to be obtained through an abbreviated educator preparation program under Section 21.0442.

(b) Requires a person, to be eligible for a probationary certificate, to satisfactorily complete the course work for that certificate in an educator preparation program under Section 21.0442 and satisfy any other requirements prescribed by SBEC.

(c) Requires a person, to be eligible for a standard certificate, to hold a probationary certificate issued under this section, be employed by a certain school or institution of higher education (IHE), and perform satisfactorily on a standard trade and industrial workforce training certificate examination prescribed by SBEC.

(d) Provides that the limitation imposed by Section 21.048(a-1) (relating to prohibiting SBEC from requiring that more than 45 days elapse before a person is authorized to retake an examination) on the number of administrations of an examination does not apply to the administration of the standard trade and industrial workforce training certificate examination prescribed by SBEC.

(e) Authorizes SBEC, notwithstanding any other law, to administer the standard trade and industrial workforce training certificate examination to a person who satisfies the requirements of Subsections (c)(1) (relating to requiring a person to hold a probationary certificate) and (2) (relating to requiring a person to be employed by a certain school or IHE).

(f) Requires SBEC to propose rules to specify the term of a probationary certificate and a standard certificate issued under this section and establish the requirements for renewal of a standard certificate.

SECTION 2. Requires SBEC to propose rules:

(1) establishing requirements for a probationary trade and industrial workforce training certificate as required by Section 21.0491, Education Code, as added by this Act;

(2) prescribing an examination for a standard trade and industrial workforce training certificate examination as required by Section 21.0491, Education Code, as added by this Act; and

(3) establishing standards to govern the approval and renewal of approval of educator preparation programs for certification in trade and industrial workforce training.

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