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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to mentors assigned to classroom teachers in public |
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schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 21.458(a), (a-1), (b), (b-1), (f), and |
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(g), Education Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Each school district may assign a mentor who is an |
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educator [teacher] to each classroom teacher who has less than two |
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years of teaching experience in the subject or grade level to which |
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the teacher is assigned. An educator [A teacher] assigned as a |
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mentor must: |
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(1) to the extent practicable, teach in the same |
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school; |
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(2) to the extent practicable, teach the same subject |
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or grade level, as applicable; and |
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(3) meet the qualifications prescribed by |
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commissioner rules adopted under Subsection (b). |
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(a-1) To be assigned as a mentor, an educator [a teacher] |
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must agree to serve as a mentor [teacher] for at least one school |
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year. The assignment must begin not later than the 30th day of |
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employment of the classroom teacher to whom the mentor [teacher] is |
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assigned. A district must agree to assign a mentor to a new |
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classroom teacher for at least two school years. |
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(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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administer this section, including rules concerning the duties and |
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qualifications of an educator [a teacher] who serves as a mentor and |
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the number of classroom teachers that may be assigned to a mentor. |
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The rules concerning qualifications must require that to serve as a |
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mentor an educator [a teacher] must: |
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(1) complete a research-based mentor and induction |
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training program approved by the commissioner; |
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(2) complete a mentor training program provided by the |
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district, which the district may allow to be satisfied by |
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completing the training program described by Subdivision (1); |
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(3) have at least three complete years of [teaching] |
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experience as an educator with a superior record of assisting |
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students, as a whole, in achieving improvement in student |
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performance; and |
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(4) demonstrate interpersonal skills, instructional |
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effectiveness, and leadership skills. |
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(b-1) A school district must provide training as described |
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by Subsection (b)(2) to mentors [mentor teachers] and any |
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appropriate district and campus employees who work with the |
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classroom teacher or supervise the classroom teacher. A district |
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may allow a training program approved by the commissioner under |
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Subsection (b)(1) to qualify for the training required by this |
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section. The training must be completed by the mentor [teacher] and |
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the district and campus employees before the beginning of the |
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school year. The district shall also provide supplemental training |
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to mentors [mentor teachers] and employees during the school year. |
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The training must include content related to best mentorship |
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practices. |
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(f) A mentor [teacher] must meet with each classroom teacher |
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assigned to the mentor not less than 12 hours each semester. |
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Observations of the mentor by the classroom teacher being mentored, |
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if applicable, or of the classroom teacher being mentored by the |
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mentor may count toward the 12 hours of meeting time required for |
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the semester. Except as provided by Subsection (f-1), the |
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mentoring sessions must address the following topics: |
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(1) orientation to the context, policies, and |
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practices of the school district; |
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(2) data-driven instructional practices; |
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(3) specific instructional coaching cycles, including |
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coaching regarding conferences between parents and the classroom |
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teacher; |
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(4) professional development; and |
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(5) professional expectations. |
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(g) A school district must: |
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(1) designate a specific time during the regularly |
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contracted school day for meetings between mentors [mentor |
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teachers] and classroom teachers assigned to a mentor; and |
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(2) schedule release time or a reduced teaching load |
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for mentors, if applicable, [mentor teachers] and classroom |
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teachers under this section to facilitate mentoring activities, |
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including classroom observations or participation in supportive |
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coaching. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 48.114(a) and (c), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A school district that has implemented a mentoring |
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program for classroom teachers who have less than two years of |
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teaching experience under Section 21.458 is entitled to an |
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allotment as determined under Subsection (b) to fund the mentoring |
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program and to provide stipends for educators who are mentors |
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[mentor teachers]. |
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(c) Funding provided to districts under this section may be |
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used only for providing: |
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(1) mentor [teacher] stipends; |
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(2) scheduled release time for mentors [mentor |
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teachers] and the classroom teachers to whom they are assigned for |
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meeting and engaging in mentoring activities; and |
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(3) mentoring support through providers of mentor |
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training. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |