| 1 | 1 | | 85R5123 MK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bohac, Howard, Cyrier H.B. No. 588 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the establishment of a grant program for promoting |
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| 8 | 8 | | computer science certification and professional development for |
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| 9 | 9 | | public school teachers. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
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| 12 | 12 | | amended by adding Section 21.416 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 21.416. COMPUTER SCIENCE CERTIFICATION GRANT PROGRAM. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (a) The commissioner shall establish a computer science |
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| 15 | 15 | | certification grant program to encourage teachers to: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) become certified as computer science teachers; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) continue professional development in computer |
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| 18 | 18 | | science education. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) From funds appropriated for that purpose, the |
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| 20 | 20 | | commissioner shall make grants to eligible providers that offer: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) training for computer science certification for |
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| 22 | 22 | | teachers in accordance with certification requirements adopted by |
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| 23 | 23 | | the State Board for Educator Certification; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) professional development for currently certified |
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| 25 | 25 | | computer science teachers to ensure certified teachers maintain |
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| 26 | 26 | | working knowledge of current industry standard tools and resources. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a |
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| 28 | 28 | | provider must: |
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| 29 | 29 | | (1) be: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (A) an institution of higher education; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (B) a regional education service center; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (C) an independent school district or a |
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| 33 | 33 | | partnership of multiple independent school districts; or |
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| 34 | 34 | | (D) a nonprofit entity approved by the |
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| 35 | 35 | | commissioner that has demonstrated experience in providing |
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| 36 | 36 | | professional development in the area of educational technology; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) meet eligibility standards established by |
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| 38 | 38 | | commissioner rule. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (d) An eligible provider receiving a grant under this |
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| 40 | 40 | | section must: |
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| 41 | 41 | | (1) provide the training or professional development |
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| 42 | 42 | | described by Subsection (b) to teachers in at least three high-need |
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| 43 | 43 | | school districts, as determined by commissioner rule; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (2) in each school year, successfully provide the |
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| 45 | 45 | | training necessary to enable at least 10 teachers to receive |
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| 46 | 46 | | computer science certification. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (e) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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| 48 | 48 | | implement this section. |
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| 49 | 49 | | SECTION 2. Not later than December 31, 2017, the |
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| 50 | 50 | | commissioner of education shall establish the grant program |
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| 51 | 51 | | required under Section 21.416, Education Code, as added by this |
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| 52 | 52 | | Act. |
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| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 54 | 54 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 55 | 55 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 56 | 56 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 57 | 57 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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