Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3494 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R7999 KKA-D
2	2	By: Huberty H.B. No. 3494
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to educator preparation programs and teacher
8	8	certification examinations.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 21.0441, Education Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
12	12	(c) The overall grade point average of each incoming class
13	13	admitted by an educator preparation program, including an
14	14	alternative educator preparation program, may not be less than 3.00
15	15	on a four-point scale or the equivalent or a higher overall grade
16	16	point average prescribed by the board. In computing the overall
17	17	grade point average of an incoming class for purposes of this
18	18	subsection, a program may:
19	19	(1) include the grade point average of each person in
20	20	the incoming class based on all course work previously attempted by
21	21	the person at a public or private institution of higher education;
22	22	or
23	23	(2) include the grade point average of each person in
24	24	the incoming class based only on the last 60 semester credit hours
25	25	attempted by the person at a public or private institution of higher
26	26	education.
27	27	(d) A person seeking career and technology education
28	28	certification is not included in determining the overall grade
29	29	point average of an incoming class under Subsection (c).
30	30	SECTION 2. Section 21.045(b), Education Code, is amended to
31	31	read as follows:
32	32	(b) Each educator preparation program shall submit data
33	33	elements as required by the board for an annual performance report
34	34	to ensure access and equity. At a minimum, the annual report must
35	35	contain:
36	36	(1) the performance data from Subsection (a), other
37	37	than the data required for purposes of Subsection (a)(3), and the
38	38	following information, disaggregated by sex and ethnicity:
39	39	(A) [(1)] the number of candidates who apply;
40	40	(B) [(2)] the number of candidates admitted;
41	41	(C) [(3)] the number of candidates retained;
42	42	(D) [(4)] the number of candidates completing
43	43	the program;
44	44	(E) [(5)] the number of candidates employed as
45	45	beginning teachers [in the profession] after completing the
46	46	program;
47	47	(F) the amount of time required by candidates
48	48	employed as beginning teachers to progress from a probationary
49	49	teaching certificate to a standard teaching certificate;
50	50	(G) [(6)] the number of candidates retained in
51	51	the profession; and
52	52	(H) [(7)] any other information required by
53	53	federal law;
54	54	(2) the ratio of candidates employed as beginning
55	55	teachers to field supervisors; and
56	56	(3) any other information necessary to enable the
57	57	board to assess the effectiveness of the program on the basis of
58	58	teacher retention and success criteria adopted by the board.
59	59	SECTION 3. Section 21.048, Education Code, is amended by
60	60	amending Subsections (a-1) and (c-1) and adding Subsection (a-2) to
61	61	read as follows:
62	62	(a-1) The board may not require that more than 45 days
63	63	elapse before a person may retake an examination. A person may not
64	64	retake an examination more than four times, unless the board waives
65	65	the limitation for good cause as prescribed by the board.
66	66	(a-2) For purposes of the limitation imposed by Subsection
67	67	(a-1) on the number of administrations of an examination, a person
68	68	who initially took an examination before September 1, 2015, may
69	69	retake the examination up to four times after that date, regardless
70	70	of the number of times that the person attempted to perform
71	71	satisfactorily on the examination before that date. This
72	72	subsection expires September 1, 2018.
73	73	(c-1) The results of an examination administered under this
74	74	section are confidential and are not subject to disclosure under
75	75	Chapter 552, Government Code, unless[:
76	76	[(1)] the disclosure is regarding notification to a
77	77	parent of the assignment of an uncertified teacher to a classroom as
78	78	required by Section 21.057[; or
79	79	[(2) the educator has failed the examination more than
80	80	five times].
81	81	SECTION 4. Effective September 1, 2016, Section 21.051,
82	82	Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding
83	83	Subsections (b-1) and (c-1) to read as follows:
84	84	(b) Before a school district may employ a candidate for
85	85	certification as a teacher of record, the candidate must complete
86	86	at least 30 [15] hours of field-based experience in which the
87	87	candidate is actively engaged in instructional or educational
88	88	activities in the classroom under supervision at:
89	89	(1) a public school campus accredited or approved for
90	90	the purpose by the agency; or
91	91	(2) a private school recognized or approved for the
92	92	purpose by the agency.
93	93	(b-1) The hours of field-based experience required by
94	94	Subsection (b) may not be provided through use of electronic
95	95	transmission or other video- or technology-based method.
96	96	(c-1) Subsections (b) and (b-1), as amended and added by
97	97	__.B. ____, Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015,
98	98	apply only to an initial certification issued on or after September
99	99	1, 2016. Those provisions do not affect:
100	100	(1) the validity of a certification issued before
101	101	September 1, 2016; or
102	102	(2) the eligibility of a person who holds a
103	103	certification issued before September 1, 2016, to obtain a
104	104	subsequent renewal of the certification in accordance with board
105	105	rule.
106	106	SECTION 5. Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Board
107	107	for Educator Certification shall develop criteria for evaluation of
108	108	educator preparation programs based on teacher retention and
109	109	success as required by Section 21.045(b)(3), Education Code, as
110	110	added by this Act. The State Board for Educator Certification shall
111	111	consult with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in
112	112	developing the criteria, and the Texas Higher Education
113	113	Coordinating Board shall participate and provide recommendations
114	114	regarding the criteria.
115	115	SECTION 6. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this
116	116	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.