Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB977 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R7732 GCB-D
2	2	By: Rodríguez S.B. No. 977
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a secondary-level English language learners' program
8	8	for public school students of limited English proficiency.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 29.053(d), Education Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	(d) Each district that is required to offer bilingual
13	13	education and special language programs under this section shall
14	14	offer the following for students of limited English proficiency:
15	15	(1) bilingual education in kindergarten through the
16	16	elementary grades;
17	17	(2) bilingual education, instruction in English as a
18	18	second language, or other transitional language instruction
19	19	approved by the agency in post-elementary grades through grade 8;
20	20	and
21	21	(3) a secondary-level [instruction in] English [as a
22	22	second] language learners' program, as provided by Sections
23	23	29.055(b-1) and (b-2), in grades 9 through 12.
24	24	SECTION 2. Section 29.055, Education Code, is amended by
25	25	adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (g) to read as follows:
26	26	(b-1) A language program for students of limited English
27	27	proficiency in post-elementary grades through grade 12, as
28	28	applicable, as required by Section 29.053(d)(2) or (3), other than
29	29	a bilingual education program, must include the following
30	30	components:
31	31	(1) consistent with Section 29.056 and any other law:
32	32	(A) identification and placement procedures
33	33	that are based on information concerning a student's proficiency in
34	34	English and in the student's primary language; and
35	35	(B) specialized identification and placement
36	36	procedures and instructional support services for students who are
37	37	recent immigrants, as determined under commissioner rule, that take
38	38	into consideration a student's previous school experience;
39	39	(2) assessment, approved by the agency, that:
40	40	(A) is administered in English and, in
41	41	appropriate cases as determined under commissioner rule, in a
42	42	student's primary language; and
43	43	(B) measures a student's progress toward state
44	44	and district academic performance standards or mastery of subject
45	45	matter content;
46	46	(3) instruction in English as a second language that
47	47	is aligned with the various levels of English language proficiency
48	48	of students of limited English proficiency;
49	49	(4) in each subject in the required curriculum under
50	50	Section 28.002 that is designated as a core content area by
51	51	commissioner rule:
52	52	(A) use of sheltered instruction to teach
53	53	students, using the English language in a manner that enables
54	54	students to learn both the subject area material and the English
55	55	language; and
56	56	(B) adaptation of the standard curriculum in a
57	57	manner that results in a curriculum that:
58	58	(i) is consistent with and is as rigorous as
59	59	the standard secondary-level curriculum; and
60	60	(ii) is consistent with a student's level of
61	61	proficiency in English;
62	62	(5) instruction by:
63	63	(A) teachers who are appropriately certified for
64	64	English as a second language; and
65	65	(B) subject area teachers who are trained in
66	66	adapting instruction for students of limited English proficiency;
67	67	(6) a strategy that involves parents of
68	68	secondary-level students of limited English proficiency and, as
69	69	appropriate, interested members of the community in assessment of
70	70	the effectiveness of the program provided under this subsection;
71	71	and
72	72	(7) access to supplemental instructional services for
73	73	any student of limited English proficiency who does not reach
74	74	state, district, or campus academic performance standards.
75	75	(b-2) For a campus performing unsatisfactorily, as
76	76	determined by commissioner rule and consistent with applicable
77	77	performance standards under the agency's Performance-Based
78	78	Monitoring Analysis System, in offering language programs to which
79	79	Subsection (b-1) applies, a school district shall require campus
80	80	educators, including appropriate administrators, associated with
81	81	such a program to, as provided by State Board for Educator
82	82	Certification rule, participate in ongoing professional
83	83	development in effective, research-based practices for serving
84	84	students of limited English proficiency. In satisfying the
85	85	professional development requirements adopted under this
86	86	subsection, a subject area teacher and an administrator serving
87	87	students of limited English proficiency on the campus must
88	88	complete:
89	89	(1) at least six semester credit hours of higher
90	90	education coursework in English as a second language contact
91	91	methodology; or
92	92	(2) professional development, equivalent as
93	93	determined under State Board for Educator Certification rule in the
94	94	time commitment necessary for satisfying the requirement under
95	95	Subdivision (1), in using sheltered instruction to teach a subject
96	96	area.
97	97	(g) The commissioner and the State Board for Educator
98	98	Certification, as applicable, shall adopt rules as necessary to
99	99	administer this section.
100	100	SECTION 3. (a) Not later than March 1, 2016:
101	101	(1) the commissioner of education shall adopt rules as
102	102	necessary to administer Section 29.055(b-1), Education Code, as
103	103	added by this Act; and
104	104	(2) the State Board for Educator Certification shall
105	105	adopt rules as necessary to administer Section 29.055(b-2),
106	106	Education Code, as added by this Act.
107	107	(b) Beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, each school
108	108	district shall provide programs as provided by Sections 29.055(b-1)
109	109	and (b-2), Education Code, as added by this Act.
110	110	(c) A public school teacher teaching students of limited
111	111	English proficiency on or before March 1, 2016, must comply with the
112	112	educational or professional development requirements of that
113	113	provision not later than March 1, 2018.
114	114	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
115	115	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
116	116	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
117	117	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
118	118	Act takes effect September 1, 2015.