| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to training requirements for a member of the board of |
|
|
trustees and the superintendent of an independent school district |
|
|
regarding cultural competence and implicit bias. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Sections 11.159(c) and (e), Education Code, are |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) The State Board of Education shall require a trustee to |
|
|
complete every two years at least: |
|
|
(1) three hours of training on evaluating student |
|
|
academic performance; [and] |
|
|
(2) one hour of training on identifying and reporting |
|
|
potential victims of sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other |
|
|
maltreatment of children; and |
|
|
(3) two hours of training in cultural competence and |
|
|
implicit bias. |
|
|
(e) For purposes of this section: |
|
|
(1) "Cultural competence" means the ability to address |
|
|
the educational needs of individuals from diverse backgrounds |
|
|
effectively by applying knowledge, empathy, and insight into the |
|
|
views on education that those backgrounds present. |
|
|
(2) "Implicit bias" means: |
|
|
(A) bias in judgment or behavior that results |
|
|
from subtle cognitive processes, including implicit attitudes and |
|
|
implicit stereotypes, that often operate at a level below conscious |
|
|
awareness and without intentional control; or |
|
|
(B) implicit attitudes and stereotypes that |
|
|
result in beliefs or simple associations that a person makes |
|
|
between an object and its evaluation that are automatically |
|
|
activated by the mere presence, actual or symbolic, of the attitude |
|
|
object. |
|
|
(3) "Other[, "other] maltreatment" has the meaning |
|
|
assigned by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 21.054, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsection (h) and adding Subsection (h-1) to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
(h) Continuing education requirements for a superintendent |
|
|
must include at least: |
|
|
(1) 2-1/2 hours of training every five years on |
|
|
identifying and reporting potential victims of sexual abuse, human |
|
|
trafficking, and other maltreatment of children; and |
|
|
(2) two hours of training every five years in cultural |
|
|
competence and implicit bias. |
|
|
(h-1) For purposes of this section: |
|
|
(1) "Cultural competence" and "implicit bias" have the |
|
|
meanings assigned by Section 11.159. |
|
|
(2) "Other [this subsection, "other] maltreatment" |
|
|
has the meaning assigned by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code. |
|
|
SECTION 3. A superintendent subject to continuing education |
|
|
requirements immediately before the effective date of this Act is |
|
|
not required to comply with the continuing education requirements |
|
|
described by Section 21.054(h), Education Code, as amended by this |
|
|
Act, for any continuing education requirements period that ends |
|
|
before January 1, 2023. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |