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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creating an early childhood certification to teach |
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students in prekindergarten through grade three. |
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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 21.0489 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.0489. EARLY CHILDHOOD CERTIFICATION. (a) To |
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ensure that there are teachers with special training in early |
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childhood education focusing on prekindergarten through grade |
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three, the board shall establish an early childhood certificate. |
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(b) A person is not required to hold a certificate |
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established under this section to be employed by a school district |
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to provide instruction in prekindergarten through grade three. |
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(c) To be eligible for a certificate established under this |
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section, a person must: |
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(1) either: |
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(A) satisfactorily complete the course work for |
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that certificate in an educator preparation program, including a |
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knowledge-based and skills-based course of instruction on early |
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childhood education that includes: |
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(i) teaching methods for: |
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(a) using small group instructional |
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formats that focus on building social, emotional, and academic |
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skills; |
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(b) navigating multiple content |
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areas; and |
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(c) managing a classroom environment |
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in which small groups of students are working on different tasks; |
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and |
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(ii) strategies for teaching fundamental |
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academic skills, including reading, writing, and numeracy; or |
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(B) hold an early childhood through grade six |
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certificate issued under this subchapter and satisfactorily |
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complete a course of instruction described by Paragraph (A); |
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(2) perform satisfactorily on an early childhood |
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certificate examination prescribed by the board; and |
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(3) satisfy any other requirements prescribed by the |
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board. |
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(d) The criteria for the course of instruction described by |
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Subsection (c)(1)(A) shall be developed by the board in |
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consultation with faculty members who provide instruction at |
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institutions of higher education in education preparation programs |
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for an early childhood through grade six certificate. |
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SECTION 2. The State Board for Educator Certification shall |
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propose rules: |
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(1) establishing requirements and prescribing an |
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examination for an early childhood certificate examination as |
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required by Section 21.0489, Education Code, as added by this Act; |
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and |
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(2) establishing standards to govern the approval and |
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renewal of approval of educator preparation programs for early |
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childhood certification. |
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SECTION 3. 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. |