By: Seliger, West S.B. No. 892
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to educator preparation programs and teacher
certification examinations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.0441, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read
as follows:
(a) Rules of the board proposed under this subchapter must
provide that a person, other than a person seeking career and
technology education certification, is not eligible for admission
to an educator preparation program, including an alternative
educator preparation program, unless the person:
(1) except as provided by Subsection (b), satisfies
the following minimum grade point average requirements [prescribed
by the board, not to exceed the following]:
(A) an overall grade point average of at least
2.50 [2.75] on a four-point scale or the equivalent on any course
work previously attempted at a public or private institution of
higher education; or
(B) a grade point average of at least 2.50 [2.75]
on a four-point scale or the equivalent for the last 60 semester
credit hours attempted at a public or private institution of higher
education; and
(2) if the person is seeking initial certification:
(A) has successfully completed at least:
(i) 15 semester credit hours in the
subject-specific content area in which the person is seeking
certification, if the person is seeking certification to teach
mathematics or science at or above grade level seven; or
(ii) 12 semester credit hours in the
subject-specific content area in which the person is seeking
certification, if the person is not seeking certification to teach
mathematics or science at or above grade level seven; or
(B) has achieved a satisfactory level of
performance on a content certification examination, which may be a
content certification examination administered by a vendor
approved by the commissioner for purposes of administering such an
examination for the year for which the person is applying for
admission to the program.
(c) The overall grade point average of each incoming class
admitted by an educator preparation program, including an
alternative educator preparation program, may not be less than 3.00
on a four-point scale or the equivalent or a higher overall grade
point average prescribed by the board. In computing the overall
grade point average of an incoming class for purposes of this
subsection, a program may:
(1) include the grade point average of each person in
the incoming class based on all course work previously attempted by
the person at a public or private institution of higher education;
or
(2) include the grade point average of each person in
the incoming class based only on the last 60 semester credit hours
attempted by the person at a public or private institution of higher
education.
(d) A person seeking career and technology education
certification is not included in determining the overall grade
point average of an incoming class under Subsection (c).
SECTION 2. Section 21.045(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Each educator preparation program shall submit data
elements as required by the board for an annual performance report
to ensure access and equity. At a minimum, the annual report must
contain:
(1) the performance data from Subsection (a), other
than the data required for purposes of Subsection (a)(3), and the
following information, disaggregated by sex and ethnicity:
(A) [(1)] the number of candidates who apply;
(B) [(2)] the number of candidates admitted;
(C) [(3)] the number of candidates retained;
(D) [(4)] the number of candidates completing
the program;
(E) [(5)] the number of candidates employed as
beginning teachers under standard teaching certificates by not
later than the first anniversary of [in the profession after]
completing the program;
(F) the amount of time required by candidates
employed as beginning teachers under probationary teaching
certificates to be issued standard teaching certificates;
(G) [(6)] the number of candidates retained in
the profession; and
(H) [(7)] any other information required by
federal law;
(2) the ratio of field supervisors to candidates
completing student teaching, clinical teaching, or an internship;
and
(3) any other information necessary to enable the
board to assess the effectiveness of the program on the basis of
teacher retention and success criteria adopted by the board.
SECTION 3. Section 21.048, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a-1) and (c-1) and adding Subsection (a-2) to
read as follows:
(a-1) The board may not require that more than 45 days
elapse before a person may retake an examination. A person may not
retake an examination more than four times, unless the board waives
the limitation for good cause as prescribed by the board.
(a-2) For purposes of the limitation imposed by Subsection
(a-1) on the number of administrations of an examination, a person
who initially took an examination before September 1, 2015, may
retake the examination up to four times after that date, regardless
of the number of times that the person attempted to perform
satisfactorily on the examination before that date. This
subsection expires September 1, 2018.
(c-1) The results of an examination administered under this
section are confidential and are not subject to disclosure under
Chapter 552, Government Code, unless[:
[(1)] the disclosure is regarding notification to a
parent of the assignment of an uncertified teacher to a classroom as
required by Section 21.057[; or
[(2) the educator has failed the examination more than
five times].
SECTION 4. Effective September 1, 2016, Section 21.051,
Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding
Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (c-1) to read as follows:
(b) Before a school district may employ a candidate for
certification as a teacher of record, the candidate must complete
at least 30 [15] hours of field-based experience in which the
candidate is actively engaged in instructional or educational
activities in the classroom under supervision at:
(1) a public school campus accredited or approved for
the purpose by the agency; or
(2) a private school recognized or approved for the
purpose by the agency.
(b-1) The hours of field-based experience required by
Subsection (b) may not be provided through use of electronic
transmission or other video- or technology-based method.
(b-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a candidate may be
employed by a school district as a teacher of record before
completing the field-based experience required by that subsection
if the candidate:
(1) is not admitted by an educator preparation program
before June 15;
(2) is employed by the district on or after June 15 or
after the district's school year begins; and
(3) completes the required field-based experience not
later than the 90th day after the date the candidate receives a
teaching assignment.
(c-1) Subsections (b), (b-1), and (b-2), as amended and
added by S.B. 892, Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session,
2015, apply only to an initial certification issued on or after
September 1, 2016. Those provisions do not affect:
(1) the validity of a certification issued before
September 1, 2016; or
(2) the eligibility of a person who holds a
certification issued before September 1, 2016, to obtain a
subsequent renewal of the certification in accordance with board
rule.
SECTION 5. Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Board
for Educator Certification shall develop criteria for evaluation of
educator preparation programs based on teacher retention and
success as required by Section 21.045(b)(3), Education Code, as
added by this Act. The State Board for Educator Certification shall
consult with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in
developing the criteria, and the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board shall participate and provide recommendations
regarding the criteria.
SECTION 6. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2015.