BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3217
86R10936 MM-D	By: Ashby; Huberty (Paxton)
	Administration
	5/7/2019
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Concerns have been raised regarding limitations relating to academic majors and credit for specified practical experience in the current certification requirements for certain prospective teachers. H.B. 3217 seeks to address these concerns by removing a certain specification that excludes education as a permitted major, by including credit hours for field-based experience as an alternative to internship credit hours, and by removing a cap on required education courses.

 

H.B. 3217 amends current law relating to certain eligibility requirements for issuance of a teaching certificate.

 

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 the heading to Section 21.050, Education Code, to read as follows:

 

Sec. 21.050. ACADEMIC DEGREE REQUIRED FOR TEACHING CERTIFICATE; FIELD-BASED EXPERIENCE OR INTERNSHIP.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Sections 21.050(a) and (b), Education Code, as follows:

 

(a) Requires a person who applies for a teaching certificate for which State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rules require a bachelor's degree to possess a bachelor's degree received with an academic major or interdisciplinary academic major, including reading, that is related to the curriculum as prescribed under Subchapter A (Essential Knowledge and Skills; Curriculum), Chapter 28, rather than requiring a person who applies for a teaching certificate for which SBEC rules require a bachelor's degree to possess a bachelor's degree received with an academic major or interdisciplinary academic major, including reading, other than education, that is related to the curriculum as prescribed under Subchapter A, Chapter 28.

 

(b) Deletes existing text prohibiting SBEC from requiring more than 18 semester credit hours of education courses at the baccalaureate level for the granting of a teaching certificate. Requires SBEC to provide for a minimum number of semester credit hours of field-based experience or internship to be included in the credit hours needed for certification, rather than requiring SBEC to provide for a minimum number of semester credit hours of internship to be included in the hours needed for certification.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.