By: Ashby (Senate Sponsor - Fallon) H.B. No. 2424

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 25, 2019; April 29, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Education; May 15, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 11, Nays 0; May 15, 2019, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2424 By: Watson

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of a micro-credential certification program for public school educator continuing education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 21.054, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (i) to read as follows:

(a) The board shall propose rules establishing a process for identifying continuing education courses and programs that fulfill educators' continuing education requirements, including opportunities for educators to receive micro-credentials in fields of study related to the educator's certification class as provided by Subsection (i).

(i) The board shall propose rules establishing a program to issue micro-credentials in fields of study related to an educator's certification class. The agency shall approve continuing education providers to offer micro-credential courses. A micro-credential received by an educator shall be recorded on the agency's Educator Certification Online System (ECOS) and included as part of the educator's public certification records.

SECTION 2. The Texas Education Agency is required to implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the Texas Education Agency may, but is not required to, implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations available for that purpose.

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.

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