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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing grants for professional development training |
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for certain public school teachers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 21.0542 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.0542. GRANT PROGRAM FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
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COURSES FOR CERTAIN TEACHERS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Authorized provider" means an institution of |
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higher education or private or independent institution of higher |
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education as those terms are defined by Section 61.003 that: |
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(A) is approved to offer an educator preparation |
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program; and |
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(B) offers online through an Internet portal at |
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least 100 subject-specific professional development courses that |
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comply with the requirements of Subsection (c) at levels |
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prekindergarten through grade 12. |
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(2) "Eligible teacher" means a classroom teacher who |
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is providing instruction at any level of prekindergarten through |
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grade 12: |
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(A) during the teacher's first year of teaching; |
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(B) in a subject for which the teacher does not |
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possess a bachelor's degree with an academic major or minor in that |
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subject; or |
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(C) at a campus assigned an overall performance |
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rating of D or F under Section 39.054. |
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(b) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the |
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commissioner shall make available to an authorized provider grants |
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as provided by this section to pay the tuition and any required fees |
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for eligible teachers who enroll in an online professional |
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development course that complies with the requirements of |
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Subsection (c) and is provided through the authorized provider. |
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(c) To qualify for a grant under this section, a |
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professional development course offered by an authorized provider |
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must: |
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(1) cover the subject and level of student instruction |
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for which the eligible teacher enrolled provides instruction; |
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(2) require enrollment for the fall and spring |
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semesters; |
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(3) require the teacher to be administered a |
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preliminary assessment instrument and, on completion of the course, |
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a final assessment instrument; |
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(4) provide a printed and electronic version of a |
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teacher manual for student instruction that includes: |
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(A) a course syllabus; |
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(B) a daily pacing guide; |
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(C) detailed daily lesson plans; |
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(D) editable class notes; |
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(E) a student activity book or lab manual, as |
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appropriate; and |
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(F) editable student assessment instruments; and |
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(5) be provided in conjunction with the assignment as |
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a mentor a teacher who has experience in: |
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(A) teaching the subject and grade level of the |
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course in which the eligible teacher is enrolled; and |
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(B) using the same student instruction materials |
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provided by the course. |
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(d) An authorized provider shall determine when a teacher |
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applies for enrollment in a course described by Subsection (c) |
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whether the teacher is an eligible teacher. The authorized |
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provider may enroll each teacher the authorized provider determines |
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is an eligible teacher and submit a request for grant money to the |
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commissioner in the amount of the tuition and any required fees for |
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both semesters of the course. |
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(e) The commissioner shall distribute grant money to |
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authorized providers based on the date on which each individual |
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request is received by the commissioner. If the commissioner |
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receives more requests for grant money than the amount of money |
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appropriated, the commissioner shall select the requests to be paid |
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on the last date for which grant money is available based on a |
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policy adopted by rule by the commissioner. A decision of the |
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commissioner under this subsection is final and may not be |
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appealed. The commissioner may not apportion among the requests |
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grant money distributed under this section. |
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(f) The commissioner may audit the records of an authorized |
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provider to ensure compliance with this section. On request by the |
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commissioner, an authorized provider shall provide the |
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commissioner with all relevant records necessary to conduct a |
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compliance audit. |
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(g) A teacher who successfully completes a professional |
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development course under this section, including performing |
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satisfactorily on the final assessment instrument under Subsection |
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(c)(3), earns the equivalent of one-half of the continuing |
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education credit hours required for certification renewal of the |
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class of certificate the teacher holds. |
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(h) The commissioner and the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement and |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |