| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to state funding for the implementation of teacher |
|
|
excellence initiative programs by school districts. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 21.358 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 21.358. TEACHER EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE PROGRAM. (a) |
|
|
In this section, "teacher excellence initiative program" means a |
|
|
program implemented by a school district for: |
|
|
(1) evaluating the effectiveness of classroom |
|
|
teachers under a multi-measure system; |
|
|
(2) encouraging highly effective classroom teachers |
|
|
to remain at or seek transfer to campuses with poor overall or |
|
|
domain performance ratings under Section 39.054; and |
|
|
(3) awarding merit salary increases to classroom |
|
|
teachers based on the evaluation described by Subdivision (1) who |
|
|
are assigned to campuses described by Subdivision (2). |
|
|
(b) A school district may submit a request to the |
|
|
commissioner for state funding under this section to assist the |
|
|
district in providing the merit salary increases. |
|
|
(c) From funds appropriated for that purpose, the |
|
|
commissioner shall provide funding under this section in accordance |
|
|
with rules adopted by the commissioner for that purpose. If funds |
|
|
are not available to provide funding to each school district that |
|
|
submits a request under Subsection (b), the commissioner shall give |
|
|
priority to school districts with the highest proportion of |
|
|
educationally disadvantaged students. |
|
|
(d) Funding received under this section may only be used by |
|
|
a school district to provide and sustain merit salary increases |
|
|
provided to classroom teachers under a teacher excellence |
|
|
initiative program. |
|
|
(e) Rules adopted under Subsection (c) must require that a |
|
|
school district demonstrate improved campus performance in order to |
|
|
continue receiving merit salary increase funding for classroom |
|
|
teachers assigned to that campus. |
|
|
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable, the commissioner of |
|
|
education shall adopt rules under Section 21.358, Education Code, |
|
|
as added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. 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, 2019. |