|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to teacher literacy achievement academies and the |
|
requirement for certain public school teachers and principals to |
|
attend a teacher literacy achievement academy. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 21.4552, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: |
|
(d-1) The commissioner is required to implement a provision |
|
of this section only if the legislature appropriates money |
|
specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not |
|
appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the commissioner |
|
may, but is not required to, implement a provision of this section |
|
using other appropriations available for that purpose. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 28.006(g-1), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(g-1) A school district shall provide additional reading |
|
instruction and intervention to each student in seventh grade |
|
assessed under Subsection (c-1), as appropriate to improve the |
|
student's reading skills in the relevant areas identified through |
|
the assessment instrument. Training and support for activities |
|
required by this subsection shall be provided by regional education |
|
service centers and any teacher literacy achievement academies made |
|
available [established] under Section 21.4552, and may be provided |
|
by other public and private providers. |
|
SECTION 3. Section 28.0062(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) Each school district and open-enrollment charter school |
|
shall: |
|
(1) provide for the use of a phonics curriculum that |
|
uses systematic direct instruction in kindergarten through third |
|
grade to ensure all students obtain necessary early literacy |
|
skills; |
|
(2) if the commissioner has made available teacher |
|
literacy achievement academies under Section 21.4552, ensure that: |
|
(A) [not later than the 2022-2023 school year,] |
|
each classroom teacher in kindergarten or first, second, or third |
|
grade and each principal at a campus with kindergarten or first, |
|
second, or third grade has attended a teacher literacy achievement |
|
academy [developed under Section 21.4552]; and |
|
(B) each classroom teacher and each principal |
|
initially employed in a grade level or at a campus described by |
|
Paragraph (A) [for the 2022-2023 school year or a subsequent school |
|
year] has attended a teacher literacy achievement academy |
|
[developed under Section 21.4552] by the end of the teacher's or |
|
principal's first year of placement in that grade level or campus; |
|
and |
|
(3) certify to the agency that the district or school: |
|
(A) prioritizes placement of highly effective |
|
teachers in kindergarten through second grade; and |
|
(B) has integrated reading instruments used to |
|
diagnose reading development and comprehension to support each |
|
student in prekindergarten through third grade. |
|
SECTION 4. 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, 2023. |