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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to improving training and staff development for primary |
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and secondary educators to enable them to more effectively serve |
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all students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.001, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows: |
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(4) "Student with a disability" means a student who |
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is: |
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(A) eligible to participate in a school |
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district's special education program under Section 29.003; |
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(B) covered by Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of |
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1973 (29 U.S.C. Section 794); or |
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(C) covered by the Individuals with Disabilities |
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Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq.). |
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SECTION 2. Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (b), (c-1), and (g) and adding Subsection |
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(a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) The board shall propose rules: |
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(1) specifying what each educator is expected to know |
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and be able to do, particularly with regard to students with |
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disabilities; |
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(2) establishing the training requirements a person |
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must accomplish to obtain a certificate, enter an internship, or |
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enter an induction-year program; and |
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(3) specifying[. The board shall specify] the minimum |
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academic qualifications required for a certificate. |
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(a-1) Any training requirements for a certificate specified |
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under Subsection (a) must require that the person demonstrate: |
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(1) basic knowledge of: |
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(A) each disability category under the |
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 |
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et seq.) and how each category can affect student learning and |
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development; and |
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(B) conditions that may be considered a |
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disability under Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. |
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Section 794), and how a condition covered by that section can affect |
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student learning and development; |
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(2) competence in the use of proactive instructional |
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planning techniques that: |
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(A) provide flexibility in the ways: |
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(i) information is presented; |
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(ii) students respond or demonstrate |
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knowledge and skills; and |
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(iii) students are engaged; |
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(B) reduce barriers in instruction; |
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(C) provide appropriate accommodations, |
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supports, and challenges; and |
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(D) maintain high achievement expectations for |
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all students, including students with disabilities and students of |
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limited English proficiency; and |
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(3) competence in the use of evidence-based inclusive |
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instructional practices, including: |
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(A) general and special education collaborative |
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and co-teaching models and approaches; |
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(B) multitiered systems of support, including |
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response to intervention strategies, classroom and school level |
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data-based collaborative structures, and evidence-based strategies |
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for intervention and progress monitoring systems in academic areas; |
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(C) classroom management techniques using |
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evidence-based behavioral intervention strategies and supports; |
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and |
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(D) appropriate adaptation strategies, including |
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accommodations, modifications, and instruction in the use of |
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assistive technology for instruction. |
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(b) The [Any] minimum academic qualifications for a |
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certificate specified under Subsection (a) [that require a person |
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to possess a bachelor's degree] must [also] require that the person |
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receive, as part of the training required to obtain that |
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certificate, instruction in detection and education of students |
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with dyslexia. |
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(c-1) The [Any] minimum academic qualifications for a |
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certificate specified under Subsection (a) [that require a person |
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to possess a bachelor's degree] must [also] require that the person |
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receive, as part of the training required to obtain that |
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certificate, instruction regarding mental health, substance abuse, |
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and youth suicide. The instruction required must: |
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(1) be provided through: |
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(A) a program selected from the list of |
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recommended best practice-based programs and research-based |
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practices established under Section 38.351; or |
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(B) a course offered by any accredited public or |
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private postsecondary educational institution as part of a degree |
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program; and |
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(2) include effective strategies, including |
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de-escalation techniques and positive behavioral interventions and |
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supports, for teaching and intervening with students with mental |
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health conditions or who engage in substance abuse. |
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(g) Each educator preparation program must provide |
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information regarding: |
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(1) the skills that educators are required to possess, |
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the responsibilities that educators are required to accept, and the |
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high expectations for all students, including students with |
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disabilities, in this state; |
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(2) the effect of supply and demand forces on the |
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educator workforce in this state; |
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(3) the performance over time of the educator |
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preparation program; |
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(4) the importance of building strong classroom |
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management skills; |
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(5) the framework in this state for teacher and |
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principal evaluation, including the procedures followed in |
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accordance with Subchapter H; and |
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(6) appropriate relationships, boundaries, and |
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communications between educators and students. |
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SECTION 3. Section 21.0443(b), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) To be eligible for approval or renewal of approval, an |
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educator preparation program must: |
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(1) incorporate proactive instructional planning |
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techniques throughout course work and across content areas using a |
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framework that: |
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(A) provides flexibility in the ways: |
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(i) information is presented; |
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(ii) students respond or demonstrate |
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knowledge and skills; and |
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(iii) students are engaged; |
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(B) reduces barriers in instruction; |
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(C) provides appropriate accommodations, |
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supports, and challenges; and |
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(D) maintains high achievement expectations for |
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all students, including students with disabilities and students of |
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limited English proficiency; |
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(2) integrate inclusive practices for all students, |
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including students with disabilities, and evidence-based |
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instruction and intervention strategies throughout course work, |
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clinical experience, and student teaching; |
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(3) adequately prepare candidates for educator |
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certification; and |
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(4) meet the standards and requirements of the board. |
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SECTION 4. Section 21.045(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The board shall propose rules necessary to establish |
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standards to govern the continuing accountability of all educator |
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preparation programs based on the following information that is |
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disaggregated with respect to race, sex, and ethnicity: |
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(1) results of the certification examinations |
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prescribed under Section 21.048(a); |
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(2) performance based on the appraisal system for |
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beginning teachers adopted by the board; |
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(3) achievement, including improvement in |
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achievement, of all students, including students with |
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disabilities, taught by beginning teachers for the first three |
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years following certification, to the extent practicable; |
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(4) compliance with board requirements regarding the |
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frequency, duration, and quality of structural guidance and ongoing |
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support provided by field supervisors to candidates completing |
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student teaching, clinical teaching, or an internship; and |
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(5) results from a teacher satisfaction survey, |
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developed by the board with stakeholder input, of new teachers |
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performed at the end of the teacher's first year of teaching. |
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SECTION 5. Section 21.0453(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The board shall require an educator preparation program |
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to provide candidates for teacher certification with information |
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concerning the following: |
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(1) skills and responsibilities required of teachers |
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with regard to all students, including students with disabilities; |
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(2) expectations for student performance, including |
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students with disabilities, based on state standards; |
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(3) the current supply of and demand for teachers in |
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this state; |
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(4) the importance of developing classroom management |
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skills; and |
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(5) the state's framework for appraisal of teachers |
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and principals. |
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SECTION 6. Section 21.046(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The qualifications for certification as a principal |
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must be sufficiently flexible so that an outstanding teacher may |
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qualify by substituting approved experience and professional |
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training for part of the educational requirements. Supervised and |
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approved on-the-job experience in addition to required internship |
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shall be accepted in lieu of classroom hours. The qualifications |
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must emphasize: |
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(1) instructional leadership, including the ability |
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to create an inclusive school environment and to foster parent |
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involvement; |
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(2) administration, supervision, and communication |
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skills; |
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(3) curriculum and instruction management, including |
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curriculum and instruction management for students with |
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disabilities; |
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(4) performance evaluation; |
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(5) organization; and |
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(6) fiscal management. |
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SECTION 7. Section 21.047(c), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) A center may develop and implement a comprehensive |
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field-based educator preparation program to supplement the |
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internship hours required in Section 21.050. This comprehensive |
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field-based teacher program must: |
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(1) be designed on the basis of current research into |
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state-of-the-art teaching practices applicable to all students, |
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including students with disabilities, curriculum theory and |
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application within diverse student populations, evaluation of |
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student outcomes, and the effective application of technology; and |
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(2) have rigorous internal and external evaluation |
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procedures that focus on content, delivery systems, and teacher and |
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student outcomes. |
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SECTION 8. Sections 21.051(b) and (f), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Before a school district may employ a candidate for |
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certification as a teacher of record and, except as provided by |
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Subsection (b-1), after the candidate's admission to an educator |
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preparation program, the candidate must complete at least 15 hours |
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of field-based experience in which the candidate is actively |
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engaged in instructional or educational activities involving a |
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diverse student population that, to the greatest extent |
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practicable, includes students with disabilities under supervision |
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at: |
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(1) a public school campus accredited or approved for |
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the purpose by the agency; or |
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(2) a private school recognized or approved for the |
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purpose by the agency. |
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(f) The board shall propose rules providing flexible |
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options for persons for any field-based experience or internship |
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required for certification. The options must, to the greatest |
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extent practicable, involve interaction with a diverse student |
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population, including students with disabilities. |
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SECTION 9. Section 21.451, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows: |
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(a-2) In designing the staff development described by |
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Subsection (a), a school district must use procedures that, to the |
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greatest extent possible, ensure the training included in the staff |
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development: |
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(1) incorporates proactive instructional planning |
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techniques using a framework that: |
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(A) provides flexibility in the ways: |
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(i) information is presented; |
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(ii) students respond or demonstrate |
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knowledge and skills; and |
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(iii) students are engaged; |
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(B) reduces barriers in instruction; |
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(C) provides appropriate accommodations, |
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supports, and challenges; and |
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(D) maintains high achievement expectations for |
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all students, including students with disabilities and students of |
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limited English proficiency; and |
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(2) integrates inclusive and evidence-based |
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instructional practices for all students, including students with |
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disabilities. |
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SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |