85R5885 PAM-F
 
  By: Guillen H.B. No. 1918
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to providing grants for professional development training
  for certain public school teachers.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 21.0542 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.0542.  GRANT PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
  COURSES FOR CERTAIN TEACHERS. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Authorized provider" means an institution of
  higher education or private or independent institution of higher
  education as those terms are defined by Section 61.003 that:
                     (A)  is approved to offer an educator preparation
  program; and
                     (B)  offers online through an Internet portal at
  least 100 subject-specific professional development courses that
  comply with the requirements of Subsection (c) at levels
  prekindergarten through grade 12.
               (2)  "Eligible teacher" means a classroom teacher who
  is providing instruction at any level of prekindergarten through
  grade 12:
                     (A)  during the teacher's first year of teaching;
                     (B)  in a subject for which the teacher does not
  possess a bachelor's degree with an academic major or minor in that
  subject; or
                     (C)  at a campus assigned an overall performance
  rating of D or F under Section 39.054.
         (b)  From funds appropriated for the purpose, the
  commissioner shall make available to an authorized provider grants
  as provided by this section to pay the tuition and any required fees
  for eligible teachers who enroll in an online professional
  development course that complies with the requirements of
  Subsection (c) and is provided through the authorized provider.
         (c)  To qualify for a grant under this section, a
  professional development course offered by an authorized provider
  must:
               (1)  cover the subject and level of student instruction
  for which the eligible teacher enrolled provides instruction;
               (2)  require enrollment for the fall and spring
  semesters;
               (3)  require the teacher to be administered a
  preliminary assessment instrument and, on completion of the course,
  a final assessment instrument;
               (4)  provide a printed and electronic version of a
  teacher manual for student instruction that includes:
                     (A)  a course syllabus;
                     (B)  a daily pacing guide;
                     (C)  detailed daily lesson plans;
                     (D)  editable class notes;
                     (E)  a student activity book or lab manual, as
  appropriate; and
                     (F)  editable student assessment instruments; and
               (5)  be provided in conjunction with the assignment as
  a mentor a teacher who has experience in:
                     (A)  teaching the subject and grade level of the
  course in which the eligible teacher is enrolled; and
                     (B)  using the same student instruction materials
  provided by the course.
         (d)  An authorized provider shall determine when a teacher
  applies for enrollment in a course described by Subsection (c)
  whether the teacher is an eligible teacher. The authorized
  provider may enroll each teacher the authorized provider determines
  is an eligible teacher and submit a request for grant money to the
  commissioner in the amount of the tuition and any required fees for
  both semesters of the course.
         (e)  The commissioner shall distribute grant money to
  authorized providers based on the date on which each individual
  request is received by the commissioner. If the commissioner
  receives more requests for grant money than the amount of money
  appropriated, the commissioner shall select the requests to be paid
  on the last date for which grant money is available based on a
  policy adopted by rule by the commissioner. A decision of the
  commissioner under this subsection is final and may not be
  appealed. The commissioner may not apportion among the requests
  grant money distributed under this section.
         (f)  The commissioner may audit the records of an authorized
  provider to ensure compliance with this section. On request by the
  commissioner, an authorized provider shall provide the
  commissioner with all relevant records necessary to conduct a
  compliance audit.
         (g)  A teacher who successfully completes a professional
  development course under this section, including performing
  satisfactorily on the final assessment instrument under Subsection
  (c)(3), earns the equivalent of one-half of the continuing
  education credit hours required for certification renewal of the
  class of certificate the teacher holds.
         (h)  The commissioner and the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement and
  administer this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2017.