H.B. No. 709
AN ACT
relating to the award of stipends to nationally certified classroom
teachers under the educator excellence awards program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.705, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 21.705. AWARD PAYMENTS. A school district must use at
least 60 percent of grant funds awarded to the district under this
subchapter to directly award classroom teachers who effectively
improve student achievement as determined by meaningful, objective
measures. The remaining funds must be used only to:
(1) provide stipends to effective mentors or teacher
coaches;
(2) provide stipends to classroom teachers who are
certified in a subject that is designated by the commissioner as
commonly experiencing a critical shortage of teachers;
(3) provide stipends to classroom teachers who are
certified under Subchapter B in the main subject area in which they
teach;
(4) provide stipends to classroom teachers with proven
records of success for improving student performance who are
assigned to campuses at which the district has experienced
difficulty assigning or retaining teachers;
(5) provide stipends to classroom teachers who hold
postgraduate degrees;
(6) provide stipends to classroom teachers who hold
advanced certification from an organization that certifies at least
2,500 teachers in the United States each year based on the teachers'
satisfaction, through study, expert evaluation, self-assessment,
and peer review, of high and rigorous standards for accomplished
teaching;
(7) provide awards to principals who effectively
increase student performance as determined by objective measures;
(8) [(7)] provide awards to other campus employees who
demonstrate excellence; or
(9) [(8)] implement the components of a Teacher
Advancement Program (TAP), including:
(A) an instructionally focused accountability
system; and
(B) the adjustment of teaching schedules to
permit ongoing applied professional growth.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010
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, 2009.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 709 was passed by the House on April
15, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 3, 1 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 709 was passed by the Senate on May
21, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor