2021S0176-1 03/09/21
 
  By: Hughes S.B. No. 1356
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a program to facilitate public school tutoring by
  certain teachers.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter N to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER N. TUTORING BY CERTAIN TEACHERS
         Sec. 21.651.  NONPROFIT TEACHER ORGANIZATIONS. (a) Subject
  to Subsection (b), a nonprofit teacher organization may participate
  in a program, to be overseen by the agency, that facilitates the
  tutoring of public school students in kindergarten through grade 12
  by active or retired certified teachers who are members of the
  organization.
         (b)  To qualify to participate in the program, the
  organization must submit an application for approval by the
  commissioner.
         Sec. 21.652.  FACILITATING TEACHER PARTICIPATION. (a) Each
  participating nonprofit teacher organization shall inform its
  members of the tutoring program quarterly.
         (b)  A participating organization shall provide contact
  information to each member for the member to use to inquire with the
  agency about offering tutoring. The organization shall also
  provide information to the member to contact the school district
  within which the member resides and adjacent school districts.
         Sec. 21.653.  TEACHER CLEARINGHOUSE. (a) The agency shall
  maintain a clearinghouse of active and retired certified teachers
  who are eligible to provide tutoring.
         (b)  Teachers who offer to tutor and are not in the
  clearinghouse must pass a background check to enter the
  clearinghouse.
         Sec. 21.654.  COMPENSATION. (a) A teacher providing
  tutoring services under the program may elect to provide those
  services:
               (1)  for compensation;
               (2)  on a voluntary basis; or
               (3)  for both compensation and on a voluntary basis.
         (b)  Compensation may be provided from any available state or
  federal funds.
         Sec. 21.655.  DISTRICT PARTICIPATION. (a) Each public
  school campus shall establish a point of contact to facilitate
  participation in the program by its school district.
         (b)  If an active or retired certified teacher contacts the
  school district to offer tutoring services and is eligible under
  the clearinghouse, the district shall use the teacher for tutoring
  on campus or online and shall facilitate the scheduling of tutoring
  services.
         (c)  A teacher may indicate the teacher's preference for
  conducting tutoring sessions on campus or online.
         (d)  Public school campuses shall work with participating
  teacher organizations to schedule tutoring sessions in subjects for
  which their school districts do not have adequate tutoring
  resources.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 821, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 821.011 to read as follows:
         Sec. 821.011.  NOTICE OF THE TEACHER TUTORING PROGRAM. The
  retirement system shall provide each member information quarterly
  about the teacher tutoring program established under Subchapter N,
  Chapter 21, Education Code, and the contact information for the
  member to inquire about the program with the Texas Education
  Agency, the school district in which the member resides, and
  adjacent school districts.
         SECTION 3.  Section 824.602, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  For purposes of Section 824.601, a retiree serving as a
  tutor under the teacher tutoring program established under
  Subchapter N, Chapter 21, Education Code, is not considered to be
  employed in a Texas public educational institution.
         SECTION 4.  The commissioner of education may adopt rules as
  necessary to implement Subchapter N, Chapter 21, Education Code, as
  added by this Act.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.