88R9522 AMF-F
 
  By: West S.B. No. 2318
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to continuing education and training requirements for
  classroom teachers and public school counselors.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 21.054(d), Education Code, as amended by
  Chapters 1045 (S.B. 1267) and 973 (S.B. 2066), Acts of the 87th
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, is reenacted and amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  Subject to Subsection (d-1), continuing [Continuing]
  education requirements for a classroom teacher may not require
  [must provide] that [not] more than [at least] 25 percent of the
  training required every five years include instruction regarding:
               (1)  collecting and analyzing information that will
  improve effectiveness in the classroom;
               (2)  recognizing early warning indicators that a
  student may be at risk of dropping out of school;
               (3)  digital learning, digital teaching, and
  integrating technology into classroom instruction;
               (4)  educating diverse student populations, including:
                     (A)  [students who are eligible to participate in
  special education programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;
                     [(B)  students who are eligible to receive
  educational services required under Section 504, Rehabilitation
  Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Section 794);
                     [(C)  students with mental health conditions or
  who engage in substance abuse;
                     [(D)  students with intellectual or developmental
  disabilities;
                     [(E)]  students who are educationally
  disadvantaged;
                     [(F)  emergent bilingual students;] and
                     (B) [(G)]  students at risk of dropping out of
  school; and
               (5)  understanding appropriate relationships,
  boundaries, and communications between educators and students [;
  and
               [(6)  how mental health conditions, including grief and
  trauma, affect student learning and behavior and how
  evidence-based, grief-informed, and trauma-informed strategies
  support the academic success of students affected by grief and
  trauma].
         SECTION 2.  Section 21.054, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (d-2) and amending Subsection (f) to read as
  follows:
         (d-2)  Training in a topic of instruction described by
  Subsection (d) attended by a classroom teacher in excess of an
  amount of hours equal to 25 percent of the training required of the
  teacher every five years shall be counted toward the teacher's
  overall training requirements. 
         (f)  Continuing education requirements for a counselor must
  provide that at least [not more than] 25 percent of training
  required every five years include instruction regarding:
               (1)  assisting students in developing high school
  graduation plans;
               (2)  implementing dropout prevention strategies;
               (3)  informing students concerning:
                     (A)  college admissions, including college
  financial aid resources and application procedures; and
                     (B)  career opportunities;
               (4)  counseling students concerning mental health
  conditions and substance abuse, including through the use of
  grief-informed and trauma-informed interventions and crisis
  management and suicide prevention strategies; and
               (5)  effective implementation of a comprehensive
  school counseling program under Section 33.005.
         SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
  school year.
         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.