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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the requirement for certain public school teachers and |
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principals to attend a literacy achievement academy or otherwise |
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demonstrate proficiency in reading instruction. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.0062(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school |
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shall: |
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(1) provide for the use of a phonics curriculum that |
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uses systematic direct instruction in kindergarten through third |
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grade to ensure all students obtain necessary early literacy |
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skills; |
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(2) ensure that: |
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(A) not later than the 2023-2024 [2021-2022] |
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school year, each classroom teacher in kindergarten or first, |
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second, or third grade and each principal at a campus with |
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kindergarten or first, second, or third grade has: |
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(i) attended a teacher literacy achievement |
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academy developed under Section 21.4552; or |
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(ii) demonstrated proficiency in the |
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science of teaching reading on a certification examination in |
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accordance with rules adopted under Section 21.048(a-2); and |
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(B) each classroom teacher and each principal |
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initially employed in a grade level or at a campus described by |
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Paragraph (A) for the 2023-2024 [2021-2022] school year or a |
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subsequent school year has attended a teacher literacy achievement |
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academy developed under Section 21.4552 before the teacher's or |
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principal's first year of placement in that grade level or campus; |
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and |
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(3) certify to the agency that the district or school: |
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(A) prioritizes placement of highly effective |
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teachers in kindergarten through second grade; and |
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(B) has integrated reading instruments used to |
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diagnose reading development and comprehension to support each |
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student in prekindergarten through third grade. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2021. |