By: Bohac (Senate Sponsor - Taylor of Galveston) H.B. No. 4064
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2017;
May 10, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on
Education; May 19, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 9, Nays 0, 1 present not voting; May 19, 2017, sent to
printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to staff development and continuing education
requirements for public school educators regarding digital
education methods.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 21.001, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 21.001. DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this chapter:
(1) "Commissioner" [, "commissioner"] includes a
person designated by the commissioner.
(2) "Digital learning" means any type of learning that
is facilitated by technology or instructional practice that makes
effective use of technology.
(3) "Digital literacy" means having the knowledge and
ability to use a range of technology tools for varied purposes. The
term includes the capacity to use, understand, and evaluate
technology for use in education settings.
SECTION 2. Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c-2) to read as follows:
(c-2) Any minimum academic qualifications for a certificate
specified under Subsection (a) that require a person to possess a
bachelor's degree must also require that the person receive, as
part of the training required to obtain that certificate,
instruction in digital learning, including a digital literacy
evaluation followed by a prescribed digital learning curriculum.
The instruction required must:
(1) be aligned with the International Society for
Technology in Education's standards for teachers;
(2) provide effective, evidence-based strategies to
determine a person's degree of digital literacy; and
(3) include resources to address any deficiencies
identified by the digital literacy evaluation.
SECTION 3. Sections 21.054(d) and (e), Education Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(d) Continuing education requirements for a classroom
teacher must provide that not more than 25 percent of the training
required every five years include instruction regarding:
(1) collecting and analyzing information that will
improve effectiveness in the classroom;
(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a
student may be at risk of dropping out of school;
(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and
integrating technology into classroom instruction; and
(4) educating diverse student populations, including:
(A) students with disabilities, including mental
health disorders;
(B) students who are educationally
disadvantaged;
(C) students of limited English proficiency; and
(D) students at risk of dropping out of school.
(e) Continuing education requirements for a principal must
provide that not more than 25 percent of the training required every
five years include instruction regarding:
(1) effective and efficient management, including:
(A) collecting and analyzing information;
(B) making decisions and managing time; and
(C) supervising student discipline and managing
behavior;
(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a
student may be at risk of dropping out of school;
(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and
integrating technology into campus curriculum and instruction; and
(4) educating diverse student populations, including:
(A) students with disabilities, including mental
health disorders;
(B) students who are educationally
disadvantaged;
(C) students of limited English proficiency; and
(D) students at risk of dropping out of school.
SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 21.0543 to read as follows:
Sec. 21.0543. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR INSTRUCTION
RELATED TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. The board shall propose rules
allowing an educator to receive credit toward the educator's
continuing education requirements for completion of education
courses that:
(1) use technology to increase the educator's digital
literacy; and
(2) assist the educator in the use of digital
technology in learning activities that improve teaching,
assessment, and instructional practices.
SECTION 5. Section 21.451, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-3) to read as
follows:
(d) The staff development:
(1) may include training in:
(A) technology;
(B) conflict resolution;
(C) discipline strategies, including classroom
management, district discipline policies, and the student code of
conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37; [and]
(D) preventing, identifying, responding to, and
reporting incidents of bullying; and
(E) digital learning;
(2) subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541
and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is
evidence-based [based on scientifically based research], as
defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds Act [9101, No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001] (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that:
(A) relates to instruction of students with
disabilities; and
(B) is designed for educators who work primarily
outside the area of special education; and
(3) must include suicide prevention training that must
be provided:
(A) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee
orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter
school educators; and
(B) to existing school district and
open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by
the agency by rule.
(d-3) The digital learning training provided by Subsection
(d)(1)(E) must:
(1) discuss basic technology proficiency expectations
and methods to increase an educator's digital literacy; and
(2) assist an educator in the use of digital
technology in learning activities that improve teaching,
assessment, and instructional practices.
SECTION 6. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
school year.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
* * * * *