By: Harris of Anderson H.B. No. 2729
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to teacher requirements for high quality prekindergarten
  programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 29.167, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (b) and (d) and adding Subsections (b-1),
  (b-2), and (b-3) to read as follows:
         (b)  Each teacher for a prekindergarten program class must:
               (1)  be certified under Subchapter B, Chapter 21; and
               (2)  have one of the following additional
  qualifications:
                     (A)  an associate or baccalaureate degree in early
  childhood education or a related field;
                     (B)  a Child Development Associate (CDA)
  credential or another early childhood education credential
  approved by the agency;
                     (C) [(B)]  certification offered through a
  training center accredited by Association Montessori
  Internationale or through the Montessori Accreditation Council for
  Teacher Education;
                     (D) [(C)]  at least eight years' experience of
  teaching in a nationally accredited child care program or a Texas
  Rising Star Program;
                     (E) [(D)]  be employed as a prekindergarten
  teacher in a school district that has received approval from the
  commissioner for the district's prekindergarten-specific
  instructional training plan that the teacher uses in the teacher's
  prekindergarten classroom; or
                     (F) [(E)]  an equivalent qualification.
         (b-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (b), each teacher for a
  prekindergarten class provided by an entity with which a school
  district contracts to provide a prekindergarten program must:
               (1)  be supervised by a person who meets the
  requirements under Subsection (b); and
               (2)  have one of the following qualifications:
                     (A)  at least two years' experience of teaching in
  a nationally accredited child care program or a Texas Rising Star
  Program and:
                           (i)  a Child Development Associate (CDA)
  credential or another early childhood education credential
  approved by the agency; or
                           (ii)  certification offered through a
  training center accredited by Association Montessori
  Internationale or through the Montessori Accreditation Council for
  Teacher Education; or
                     (B)  a qualification described by Subsection
  (b)(2)(A), (D), (E), or (F).
         (b-2)  A person who supervises a prekindergarten program
  provided by an entity with which a school district contracts for
  that purpose may supervise multiple prekindergarten classrooms to:
               (1)  ensure programmatic compliance; and
               (2)  support:
                     (A)  classroom instruction;
                     (B)  the developmental needs of students; and
                     (C)  continuous quality improvement, including
  professional development.
         (b-3)  Subsections (b-1) and (b-2) and this subsection
  expire September 1, 2029.
         (d)  A school district or an entity with which the district
  contracts to provide a prekindergarten program must attempt to
  maintain an average ratio in any prekindergarten program class of
  not less than one qualified [certified] teacher or teacher's aide
  for each 11 students.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
  school year.
         SECTION 3.  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.