84R9800 CAE-F
By: Crownover H.B. No. 2205
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to educator preparation programs, including the
appointment of a member of the State Board for Educator
Certification with experience and knowledge of alternative
educator preparation programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.033, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) One voting member of the board appointed by the
governor must have experience and knowledge regarding alternative
educator preparation programs.
SECTION 2. Section 21.0451(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) The board shall propose rules for the sanction of
educator preparation programs that do not meet accountability
standards and shall annually review the accreditation status of
each educator preparation program. The rules:
(1) shall provide for the assignment of the following
accreditation statuses:
(A) not rated;
(B) accredited;
(C) accredited-warned;
(D) accredited-probation; and
(E) not accredited-revoked;
(2) may provide for the agency to take any necessary
action, including one or more of the following actions:
(A) requiring the program to obtain technical
assistance approved by the agency or board;
(B) requiring the program to obtain professional
services under contract with another person;
(C) appointing a monitor to participate in and
report to the board on the activities of the program; and
(D) if a program has been rated as
accredited-probation under the Accountability System for Educator
Preparation for a period of at least one year, revoking the approval
of the program and ordering the program to be closed, provided that
the board or agency must provide the opportunity for a hearing
before the effective date of the closure; [and]
(3) shall provide for the agency to revoke the
approval of the program and order the program to be closed if the
program has been rated as accredited-probation under the
Accountability System for Educator Preparation for three
consecutive years, provided that the board or agency must provide
the opportunity for a hearing before the effective date of the
closure; and
(4) shall provide the board procedure for changing the
accreditation status of a program that:
(A) does not meet the accreditation standards
established under Section 21.045(a); or
(B) violates a board or agency regulation.
SECTION 3. Sections 21.0452(b), (c), and (d), Education
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(b) The board shall make available at least the following
information regarding each educator preparation program:
(1) the information specified in Sections 21.045(a)
and (b);
(2) in addition to any other appropriate information
indicating the quality of persons admitted to the program, the
average academic qualifications possessed by persons admitted to
the program, including:
(A) average overall grade point average and
average grade point average in specific subject areas; and
(B) average scores on the Scholastic Assessment
Test (SAT), the American College Test (ACT), or the Graduate Record
Examination (GRE), as applicable;
(3) the degree to which persons who complete the
program are successful in obtaining teaching positions;
(4) the extent to which the program prepares teachers,
including general education teachers and special education
teachers, to effectively teach:
(A) students with disabilities; and
(B) students of limited English proficiency, as
defined by Section 29.052;
(5) the activities offered by the program that are
designed to prepare teachers to:
(A) integrate technology effectively into
curricula and instruction, including activities consistent with
the principles of universal design for learning; and
(B) use technology effectively to collect,
manage, and analyze data to improve teaching and learning for the
purpose of increasing student academic achievement;
(6) the ratio of field supervisors to candidates
completing student teaching, clinical teaching, or an internship in
an educator preparation program;
(7) the percentage of teachers employed under a
standard teaching certificate within one year of completing the
program;
(8) the perseverance of beginning teachers in the
profession, as determined on the basis of the number of beginning
teachers who maintain status as active contributing members in the
Teacher Retirement System of Texas for at least three years after
certification in comparison to similar programs;
(9) [(7)] the results of exit surveys given to program
participants on completion of the program that involve evaluation
of the program's effectiveness in preparing participants to succeed
in the classroom; and
(10) [(8)] the results of surveys given to school
principals that involve evaluation of the program's effectiveness
in preparing participants to succeed in the classroom, based on
experience with employed program participants.
(c) For purposes of Subsection (b)(9) [(b)(7)], the board
shall require an educator preparation program to distribute an exit
survey that a program participant must complete before the
participant is eligible to receive a certificate under this
subchapter.
(d) For purposes of Subsections (b)(9) [(b)(7)] and (10)
[(8)], the board shall develop surveys for distribution to program
participants and school principals.
SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 21.0454 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.0454. FIELD SUPERVISORS. The board shall propose
rules to establish minimum standards for field supervisor to
candidate ratios in educator preparation programs to ensure the
effective supervision of candidates.
SECTION 5. Section 21.033(a-1), Education Code, as added by
this Act, regarding the qualifications of one voting member of the
State Board for Educator Certification, does not affect the
entitlement of a member serving on the board immediately before the
effective date of this Act to continue to serve as a member of the
board for the remainder of the member's term. After a term of a
voting member expires on February 1, 2017, the governor shall
appoint a member who meets the requirements under Section
21.033(a-1), Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.