BILL ANALYSIS
|
Senate Research Center |
H.B. 4064 |
|
85R23385 MM-F |
By: Bohac (Taylor, Larry) |
|
|
Education |
|
|
5/15/2017 |
|
|
Engrossed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
There are concerns that teachers are not receiving adequate professional development with regard to the use of technology in the classroom. H.B. 4064 addresses this issue by expanding staff development and continuing education requirements for public school educators regarding digital education methods.
H.B. 4064 requires candidates for teaching certificates to be instructed, evaluated and, if necessary, remediated on their digital literacy through a pre-service evaluation and follow-up curriculum to address areas that require improvement.
Requires that instruction:
� Be aligned with International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards for teachers;
� Be founded on evidence based strategies to determine the candidate's abilities;
� Be designed to include tools to help candidates improve where needed;
� Empower the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to create rules governing the creation of continuing professional education (CPE) courses for educators to learn more about digital learning;
� Provide guidance as to what digital learning means and how it can empower teachers to bring a more robust, complete, and up-to-date educational experience to the Texas classroom; and
� Allow teachers to receive credit for CPE courses on digital learning toward their annual requirements.
H.B. 4064 amends current law relating to staff development and continuing education requirements for public school educators regarding digital education methods.
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 Section 21.001, Education Code, as follows:
Sec. 21.001. New heading: DEFINITIONS. Defines "digital learning" and "digital literacy" and makes nonsubstantive changes to the definition of "commissioner."
SECTION 2. Amends Section 21.044, Education Code, by adding Subsection (c-2), as follows:
(c-2) Requires that any minimum academic qualifications for a certificate specified under Subsection (a) (relating to requiring the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to propose rules establishing certain training requirements) that require a person to possess a bachelor's degree also require that the person receive, as part of the training required to obtain that certificate, instruction in digital learning, including a digital literacy evaluation followed by a prescribed digital learning curriculum. Requires that the required instruction:
(1) be aligned with the International Society for Technology in Education's standards for teachers;
(2) provide effective, evidence-based strategies to determine a person's degree of digital literacy; and
(3) include resources to address any deficiencies identified by the digital literacy evaluation.
SECTION 3. Amends Sections 21.054(d) and (e), Education Code, as follows:
(d) Requires that continuing education requirements for a classroom teacher provide that not more than 25 percent of the training required every five years include instruction regarding:
(1) and (2) makes no changes to these subdivisions;
(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and integrating technology into classroom instruction, rather than integrating technology into classroom instruction; and
(4) makes no changes to this subdivision.
(e) Requires that continuing education requirements for a principal provide that not more than 25 percent of the training required every five years include instruction regarding:
(1) and (2) makes no changes to these subdivisions;
(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and integrating technology into campus curriculum and instruction, rather than integrating technology into campus curriculum and instruction; and
(4) makes no changes to this subdivision.
SECTION 4. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding Section 21.0543, as follows:
Sec. 21.0543. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR INSTRUCTION RELATED TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. Requires SBEC to propose rules allowing an educator to receive credit toward the educator's continuing education requirements for completion of educational courses that use technology to increase the educator's digital literacy and assist the educator in the use of digital technology in learning activities that improve teaching, assessment, and instructional practices.
SECTION 5. Amends Section 21.451, Education Code, by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-3), as follows:
(d) Provides that the staff development:
(1) is authorized to include training in certain areas, including digital learning;
(2) subject to Subsection (e) (relating to providing that a school district is required to provide training to an educator under certain conditions) and to Section 21.3541 (Appraisal and Professional Development System for Principals) and rules adopted under that section, is required to include training that is evidence-based, as defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds Act, rather than training based on scientifically based research, as defined by Section 9101, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that relates to instruction of students with disabilities and is designed for educators who work primarily outside the area of special education; and
(3) makes no changes to this subdivision.
(d-3) Requires that the digital learning training provided by Subsection (d)(1)(E) (relating to authorizing the staff development to include training in digital learning):
(1) discuss basic technology proficiency expectations and methods to increase an educator's digital literacy; and
(2) assist an educator in the use of digital technology in learning activities that improve teaching, assessment, and instructional practices.
SECTION 6. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year.
SECTION 7. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.