Texas House Bill HB3442

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Caption

Relating to effects of a decision not to retain an educator at a reconstituted public school campus on the educator's employment status.

Impact

The changes proposed by HB3442 aim to create a framework that could potentially enhance educational standards by ensuring that only those educators who have demonstrated a positive impact on student performance are retained. This could result in a more accountable workforce and may encourage teachers to focus on improving student outcomes. However, the retention criteria established by the bill could also lead to significant pressure on educators, as their job security will be closely tied to their students' performance on standardized assessments.

Summary

House Bill 3442 introduces amendments to the Texas Education Code regarding the retention of educators at reconstituted public school campuses. The bill outlines the authority of campus intervention teams to decide which educators are retained based on a specified pattern of significant academic improvement demonstrated by their students. Additionally, it states that if an educator is not retained, they can be assigned to another position within the school district without the non-renewal or termination of their contract being regarded as good cause for discharge.

Contention

Notable points of contention may arise concerning the subjective nature of 'significant academic improvement' and how it will be measured, as schools may face pressures from various stakeholders to achieve specific performance benchmarks. Critics might argue that such reliance on quantifiable metrics could unfairly disadvantage certain educators, particularly in schools serving disadvantaged populations, as the context of student backgrounds and resource availability is often overlooked. Additionally, the stipulation that terminations based on non-retention do not constitute good cause could lead to legal challenges concerning educators' rights.