87R4680 KJE-D
 
  By: Guerra H.B. No. 1744
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to measures to prepare students to teach bilingual
  education, English as a second language, or Spanish.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 29.1831 to read as follows:
         Sec. 29.1831.  PROGRAM OF STUDY IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION,
  ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, AND SPANISH. (a) The agency shall
  develop a program of study for use in career and technology
  education programs that prepares and assists students in pursuing a
  career teaching:
               (1)  bilingual education;
               (2)  English as a second language; or
               (3)  Spanish.
         (b)  The agency shall post on the agency's Internet website
  information regarding:
               (1)  the program of study developed under this section;
  and
               (2)  the financial incentive program to prepare
  teachers to obtain certification to teach bilingual education,
  English as a second language, or Spanish administered by the Texas
  Higher Education Coordinating Board under Subchapter LL, Chapter
  61.
         SECTION 2.  Section 33.007(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  During the first school year a student is enrolled in a
  high school or at the high school level in an open-enrollment
  charter school, and again during each year of a student's
  enrollment in high school or at the high school level, a school
  counselor shall provide information about postsecondary education
  to the student and the student's parent or guardian. The
  information must include information regarding:
               (1)  the importance of postsecondary education;
               (2)  the advantages of earning an endorsement and a
  performance acknowledgment and completing the distinguished level
  of achievement under the foundation high school program under
  Section 28.025;
               (3)  the disadvantages of taking courses to prepare for
  a high school equivalency examination relative to the benefits of
  taking courses leading to a high school diploma;
               (4)  financial aid eligibility;
               (5)  instruction on how to apply for federal financial
  aid;
               (6)  the center for financial aid information
  established under Section 61.0776;
               (7)  the automatic admission of certain students to
  general academic teaching institutions as provided by Section
  51.803;
               (8)  the eligibility and academic performance
  requirements for the TEXAS Grant as provided by Subchapter M,
  Chapter 56;
               (9)  the availability of programs in the district under
  which a student may earn college credit, including advanced
  placement programs, dual credit programs, joint high school and
  college credit programs, and international baccalaureate programs;
               (10)  the availability of education and training
  vouchers and tuition and fee waivers to attend an institution of
  higher education as provided by Section 54.366 for a student who is
  or was previously in the conservatorship of the Department of
  Family and Protective Services; [and]
               (11)  the availability of college credit awarded by
  institutions of higher education to veterans and military
  servicemembers for military experience, education, and training
  obtained during military service as described by the informational
  materials developed under Section 302.0031(h), Labor Code; and
               (12)  the availability of programs that prepare
  students for teaching bilingual education, English as a second
  language, or Spanish, including:
                     (A)  the program of study developed under Section
  29.1831; and
                     (B)  the financial incentive program administered
  by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Subchapter
  LL, Chapter 61.
         SECTION 3.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter LL to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER LL. FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO PREPARE TEACHERS IN
  BILINGUAL EDUCATION, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE, AND SPANISH
         Sec. 61.9851.  ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.
  (a) The board shall establish a program to provide financial
  incentives such as tuition assistance or student loan repayment to:
               (1)  assist persons in obtaining certification to teach
  bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish in a
  public elementary or secondary school in this state; and
               (2)  facilitate the employment of those persons by a
  public elementary or secondary school in this state that has a
  shortage of teachers certified to teach in those fields.
         (b)  In administering the program, the board shall give
  priority to awarding financial incentives to those eligible persons
  who demonstrate the greatest financial need.
         Sec. 61.9852.  ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive
  financial incentives under this subchapter, a person must:
               (1)  apply to the board in the form and manner
  prescribed by board rule;
               (2)  be admitted into an educator preparation program
  at an institution of higher education or at a private or independent
  institution of higher education that prepares students for
  certification to teach bilingual education, English as a second
  language, or Spanish;
               (3)  enter into an agreement with the board as provided
  by Section 61.9853; and
               (4)  satisfy any other criteria jointly prescribed by
  the board and the State Board for Educator Certification.
         Sec. 61.9853.  AGREEMENT. To qualify for financial
  incentives under this subchapter, a person must enter into a
  written agreement with the board as provided by this section. The
  agreement must require the person to:
               (1)  obtain, within the period prescribed by board
  rule, certification to teach bilingual education, English as a
  second language, or Spanish in a public elementary or secondary
  school in this state;
               (2)  accept, during the first school year that begins
  after the date the person becomes certified as provided by
  Subdivision (1), an offer of full-time employment to teach
  bilingual education, English as a second language, or Spanish in a
  public elementary or secondary school in this state that has a
  shortage of teachers certified to teach in one or more of those
  fields; and
               (3)  teach bilingual education, English as a second
  language, or Spanish at that school for at least two school years.
         Sec. 61.9854.  FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. The board shall award
  financial incentives such as tuition assistance or student loan
  repayment to each participant in the program to assist with the cost
  of payment of mandatory tuition and fees for courses required to
  obtain certification to teach bilingual education, English as a
  second language, or Spanish.
         Sec. 61.9855.  REIMBURSEMENT; EXCEPTIONS. (a) A program
  participant who fails to meet the requirements of Section 61.9853
  shall reimburse the board for the amount of any assistance received
  by the participant under this subchapter.
         (b)  The board by rule shall establish exceptions to the
  reimbursement requirement under this section for participants who
  are unable to meet the requirements of Section 61.9853 as a result
  of an unusual hardship.
         Sec. 61.9856.  GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to
  money appropriated by the legislature, the board may solicit and
  accept gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this
  subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9857.  RULES. The board shall adopt rules necessary
  for the administration of this subchapter, including a rule that
  sets the maximum amount of financial assistance that a person may
  receive under this subchapter in one year.
         SECTION 4.  The Texas Education Agency shall develop the
  program of study for use in a school district's career and
  technology education program to teach bilingual education, English
  as a second language, or Spanish as required by Section 29.1831,
  Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning not later than the
  2022-2023 school year.
         SECTION 5.  Section 33.007(b), Education Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies beginning with the 2022-2023 school year.
         SECTION 6.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter LL, Chapter
  61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable
  after this Act takes effect.
         SECTION 7.  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, 2021.