By: Huberty H.B. No. 3044
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to educator preparation programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subsection 21.051 Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 21.051. RULES REGARDING FIELD-BASED EXPERIENCE AND
OPTIONS FOR FIELD EXPERIENCE AND INTERNSHIPS. (a) In this section,
"teacher of record" means a person employed by a school district who
teaches the majority of the instructional day in an academic
instructional setting and is responsible for evaluating student
achievement and assigning grades.
(b) Before a school district may employ a candidate for
certification as a teacher of record, the candidate must complete
at least 15 hours of field-based experience, which may be obtained
up to two years prior to, or subsequent to, admission in an educator
preparation program.
These field-based experiences may be obtained
by observation of a Texas certified teacher in which the candidate
is actively engaged in instructional or educational activities, or
by serving as a substitute teacher or teachers aide under
supervision at:
(1) at a public school campus accredited or approved
for the purpose by the agency; or
(2) at a private school recognized or approved for the
purpose by the agency.
(c) Subsection (b) applies only to an initial certification
issued on or after September 1, 2012. Subsection (b) does not
affect:
(1) the validity of a certification issued before
September 1, 2012; or
(2) the eligibility of a person who holds a
certification issued before September 1, 2012, to obtain a
subsequent renewal of the certification in accordance with board
rule.
(d) Subsection (b) does not affect the period within which
an individual must complete field-based experience hours as
determined by board rule if the individual is not accepted into an
educator preparation program before the deadline prescribed by
board rule and is hired for a teaching assignment by a school
district after the deadline prescribed by board rule.
(e) The board shall propose rules relating to the
field-based experience required by Subsection (b). The
commissioner by rule shall adopt procedures and standards for
recognizing a private school under Subsection (b)(2).
(f) The board shall propose rules providing flexible
options for persons for any field-based experience or internship
required for certification.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.