Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1460 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Shapiro S.B. No. 1460
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to professional development academies designed for public
7	7	school teachers who provide instruction to certain students of
8	8	limited English proficiency.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 21.4553 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 21.4553. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACADEMIES FOR
13	13	TEACHERS OF CERTAIN STUDENTS OF LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY.
14	14	(a) The commissioner shall design, establish, and make available
15	15	professional development academies for teachers who provide
16	16	instruction to students of limited English proficiency at the
17	17	seventh grade level or above.
18	18	(b) A professional development academy established under
19	19	this section must be designed to include training for teachers in
20	20	research-based practices for:
21	21	(1) improving general English language development in
22	22	students of limited English proficiency;
23	23	(2) teaching students of limited English proficiency
24	24	at the seventh grade level or above the English language, including
25	25	specific vocabulary, as necessary for the students to understand
26	26	and succeed academically in reading and other English language
27	27	arts, mathematics, science, and social studies; and
28	28	(3) improving access to learning by students of
29	29	limited English proficiency.
30	30	(c) The commissioner by rule shall require a teacher for
31	31	whom an area of deficiency related to the instruction of students of
32	32	limited English proficiency has been identified under the
33	33	recommended or locally developed appraisal system under Section
34	34	21.352(c) to attend a professional development academy established
35	35	under this section if the teacher provides instruction:
36	36	(1) at the seventh grade level or above;
37	37	(2) at a campus at which, as determined by the
38	38	commissioner in accordance with commissioner rule, the academic
39	39	performance of students of limited English proficiency needs
40	40	improvement; and
41	41	(3) in a bilingual education or special language
42	42	program or to students of limited English proficiency in reading,
43	43	English language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies.
44	44	(d) The commissioner by rule shall adopt criteria for the
45	45	selection of teachers, other than teachers described by Subsection
46	46	(c), who may attend a professional development academy established
47	47	under this section, giving priority to teachers providing
48	48	instruction at the seventh grade level or above in a bilingual
49	49	education or special language program or to students of limited
50	50	English proficiency in reading, English language arts,
51	51	mathematics, science, or social studies at campuses described by
52	52	Subsection (c)(2).
53	53	(e) From funds appropriated for the purpose, a teacher who
54	54	attends a professional development academy established under this
55	55	section is entitled to receive a stipend in the amount determined by
56	56	the commissioner. A stipend received under this subsection is not
57	57	considered in determining whether a district is paying the teacher
58	58	the minimum monthly salary under Section 21.402.
59	59	(f) On request of the commissioner, regional education
60	60	service centers shall assist the commissioner and agency with
61	61	activities related to the design, establishment, and operation of
62	62	professional development academies under this section. The
63	63	commissioner may seek additional assistance from other public and
64	64	private providers.
65	65	(g) From funds appropriated for purposes of this section,
66	66	the commissioner shall conduct or contract with a public or private
67	67	entity to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the professional
68	68	development academies established under this section. The
69	69	evaluation must:
70	70	(1) use qualitative, quantitative, and expert review
71	71	methodologies, including:
72	72	(A) direct observations;
73	73	(B) follow-up interviews and surveys with
74	74	participating teachers and administrators; and
75	75	(C) analysis of student data submitted through
76	76	the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and
77	77	student assessment results to measure academic progress achieved by
78	78	students receiving instruction from teachers who have attended a
79	79	professional development academy established under this section in
80	80	comparison to:
81	81	(i) academic progress achieved by those
82	82	students in preceding years; and
83	83	(ii) academic progress achieved by students
84	84	of limited English proficiency receiving instruction from teachers
85	85	who have not attended a professional development academy; and
86	86	(2) include an analysis of financial data to assess
87	87	the cost-effectiveness of the professional development academies.
88	88	(h) Not later than December 1, 2012, the commissioner shall
89	89	prepare and deliver to each member of the legislature a report
90	90	describing the results of the evaluation required by Subsection
91	91	(g). Subsection (g) and this subsection expire September 1, 2013.
92	92	SECTION 2. This Act does not make an appropriation. This
93	93	Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the
94	94	implementation of the Act is provided in a general appropriations
95	95	act of the 81st Legislature.
96	96	SECTION 3. Except as provided by Section 2 of this Act, this
97	97	Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of
98	98	all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39,
99	99	Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the
100	100	vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect
101	101	September 1, 2009, except as provided by Section 2 of this Act.