BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1590

By: Bettencourt

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) exercises statutory oversight for the preparation of educators, which includes classroom observation by a field supervisor of all candidates for certification. To accommodate candidate observations during the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBEC amended their rules to allow for virtual candidate observations. If the SBEC had not amended their rules during the pandemic, the certified teacher pipeline in Texas would have been completely disrupted. In response to suggestions that this practice should be maintained going forward, S.B. 1590 provides for virtual observation options for field-based experiences and internships required for educator certification.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1590 amends the Education Code to require the rules proposed by the State Board for Educator Certification that provide flexible options for persons for any field-based experience or internship required for certification to include options for candidate observations that provide for the following:

·         two observations to occur in person and two additional observations to occur in virtual settings that are equivalent in rigor to in-person options for observation; or

·         three observations to occur in person.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.