Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB892 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R31160 KKA-D
2	2	By: Seliger, et al. S.B. No. 892
3	3	(Huberty)
4	4	Substitute the following for S.B. No. 892: No.
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to educator preparation programs and teacher
10	10	certification examinations.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Section 21.0441, Education Code, is amended by
13	13	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read
14	14	as follows:
15	15	(a) Rules of the board proposed under this subchapter must
16	16	provide that a person, other than a person seeking career and
17	17	technology education certification, is not eligible for admission
18	18	to an educator preparation program, including an alternative
19	19	educator preparation program, unless the person:
20	20	(1) except as provided by Subsection (b), satisfies
21	21	the following minimum grade point average requirements [prescribed
22	22	by the board, not to exceed the following]:
23	23	(A) an overall grade point average of at least
24	24	2.50 [2.75] on a four-point scale or the equivalent on any course
25	25	work previously attempted at a public or private institution of
26	26	higher education; or
27	27	(B) a grade point average of at least 2.50 [2.75]
28	28	on a four-point scale or the equivalent for the last 60 semester
29	29	credit hours attempted at a public or private institution of higher
30	30	education; and
31	31	(2) if the person is seeking initial certification:
32	32	(A) has successfully completed at least:
33	33	(i) 15 semester credit hours in the
34	34	subject-specific content area in which the person is seeking
35	35	certification, if the person is seeking certification to teach
36	36	mathematics or science at or above grade level seven; or
37	37	(ii) 12 semester credit hours in the
38	38	subject-specific content area in which the person is seeking
39	39	certification, if the person is not seeking certification to teach
40	40	mathematics or science at or above grade level seven; or
41	41	(B) has achieved a satisfactory level of
42	42	performance on a content certification examination, which may be a
43	43	content certification examination administered by a vendor
44	44	approved by the commissioner for purposes of administering such an
45	45	examination for the year for which the person is applying for
46	46	admission to the program.
47	47	(c) The overall grade point average of each incoming class
48	48	admitted by an educator preparation program, including an
49	49	alternative educator preparation program, may not be less than 3.00
50	50	on a four-point scale or the equivalent or a higher overall grade
51	51	point average prescribed by the board. In computing the overall
52	52	grade point average of an incoming class for purposes of this
53	53	subsection, a program may:
54	54	(1) include the grade point average of each person in
55	55	the incoming class based on all course work previously attempted by
56	56	the person at a public or private institution of higher education;
57	57	or
58	58	(2) include the grade point average of each person in
59	59	the incoming class based only on the last 60 semester credit hours
60	60	attempted by the person at a public or private institution of higher
61	61	education.
62	62	(d) A person seeking career and technology education
63	63	certification is not included in determining the overall grade
64	64	point average of an incoming class under Subsection (c).
65	65	SECTION 2. Section 21.045(b), Education Code, is amended to
66	66	read as follows:
67	67	(b) Each educator preparation program shall submit data
68	68	elements as required by the board for an annual performance report
69	69	to ensure access and equity. At a minimum, the annual report must
70	70	contain:
71	71	(1) the performance data from Subsection (a), other
72	72	than the data required for purposes of Subsection (a)(3), and the
73	73	following information, disaggregated by sex and ethnicity:
74	74	(A) [(1)] the number of candidates who apply;
75	75	(B) [(2)] the number of candidates admitted;
76	76	(C) [(3)] the number of candidates retained;
77	77	(D) [(4)] the number of candidates completing
78	78	the program;
79	79	(E) [(5)] the number of candidates employed as
80	80	beginning teachers under standard teaching certificates by not
81	81	later than the first anniversary of [in the profession after]
82	82	completing the program;
83	83	(F) the amount of time required by candidates
84	84	employed as beginning teachers under probationary teaching
85	85	certificates to be issued standard teaching certificates;
86	86	(G) [(6)] the number of candidates retained in
87	87	the profession; and
88	88	(H) [(7)] any other information required by
89	89	federal law;
90	90	(2) the ratio of field supervisors to candidates
91	91	completing student teaching, clinical teaching, or an internship;
92	92	and
93	93	(3) any other information necessary to enable the
94	94	board to assess the effectiveness of the program on the basis of
95	95	teacher retention and success criteria adopted by the board.
96	96	SECTION 3. Section 21.048, Education Code, is amended by
97	97	amending Subsections (a-1) and (c-1) and adding Subsection (a-2) to
98	98	read as follows:
99	99	(a-1) The board may not require that more than 45 days
100	100	elapse before a person may retake an examination. A person may not
101	101	retake an examination more than four times, unless the board waives
102	102	the limitation for good cause as prescribed by the board.
103	103	(a-2) For purposes of the limitation imposed by Subsection
104	104	(a-1) on the number of administrations of an examination, a person
105	105	who initially took an examination before September 1, 2015, may
106	106	retake the examination up to four times after that date, regardless
107	107	of the number of times that the person attempted to perform
108	108	satisfactorily on the examination before that date. This
109	109	subsection expires September 1, 2018.
110	110	(c-1) The results of an examination administered under this
111	111	section are confidential and are not subject to disclosure under
112	112	Chapter 552, Government Code, unless[:
113	113	[(1)] the disclosure is regarding notification to a
114	114	parent of the assignment of an uncertified teacher to a classroom as
115	115	required by Section 21.057[; or
116	116	[(2) the educator has failed the examination more than
117	117	five times].
118	118	SECTION 4. Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Board
119	119	for Educator Certification shall develop criteria for evaluation of
120	120	educator preparation programs based on teacher retention and
121	121	success as required by Section 21.045(b)(3), Education Code, as
122	122	added by this Act. The State Board for Educator Certification shall
123	123	consult with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in
124	124	developing the criteria, and the Texas Higher Education
125	125	Coordinating Board shall participate and provide recommendations
126	126	regarding the criteria.
127	127	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.