Texas 2017 - 85th 1st C.S.

Texas Senate Bill SB33 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85S10371 MK-D
2	2	By: Menéndez, Rodríguez S.B. No. 33
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a school district assigning a mentor teacher to a new
8	8	classroom teacher.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 21.458, Education Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subsections (a-1), (b-1), (f), and (g) and amending
12	12	Subsections (b) and (d) to read as follows:
13	13	(a-1) To be assigned as a mentor, a teacher must agree to
14	14	serve as a mentor teacher for at least two school years. The
15	15	assignment must begin on the first day of employment of the
16	16	classroom teacher to whom the mentor teacher is assigned.
17	17	(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
18	18	administer this section, including rules concerning the duties and
19	19	qualifications of a teacher who serves as a mentor and the number of
20	20	classroom teachers that may be assigned to a mentor. The rules
21	21	concerning qualifications must require that to serve as a mentor a
22	22	teacher must:
23	23	(1) complete a research-based mentor and induction
24	24	training program approved by the commissioner;
25	25	(2) complete a mentor training program provided by the
26	26	district; [and]
27	27	(3) have at least three complete years of teaching
28	28	experience with a superior record of assisting students, as a
29	29	whole, in achieving improvement in student performance; and
30	30	(4) demonstrate interpersonal skills, instructional
31	31	effectiveness, and leadership skills.
32	32	(b-1) A school district must provide training to mentor
33	33	teachers and any appropriate district and campus employees who work
34	34	with the classroom teacher or supervise the classroom teacher. The
35	35	training must be completed by the mentor teacher and the district
36	36	and campus employees before the beginning of the school year. The
37	37	district shall also provide supplemental training to mentor
38	38	teachers and employees during the school year. The training must
39	39	include content related to best mentorship practices.
40	40	(d) In adopting rules under this section [Subsection (c)],
41	41	the commissioner shall rely on research-based mentoring programs
42	42	that, through external evaluation, have demonstrated success.
43	43	(f) A mentor teacher must meet with each classroom teacher
44	44	assigned to the mentor at least once a week for an individual
45	45	mentoring session lasting at least 45 minutes, with not less than 12
46	46	hours of meeting time each semester. The mentoring sessions must
47	47	address the following topics:
48	48	(1) orientation to the context, policies, and
49	49	practices of the school district;
50	50	(2) data-driven instructional practices;
51	51	(3) specific instructional coaching cycles, including
52	52	coaching regarding conferences between parents and the classroom
53	53	teacher;
54	54	(4) professional development; and
55	55	(5) professional expectations.
56	56	(g) A school district must:
57	57	(1) designate a specific time during the regularly
58	58	contracted school day for meetings between mentor teachers and
59	59	classroom teachers assigned to a mentor; and
60	60	(2) schedule release time or a reduced teaching load
61	61	for mentor teachers and classroom teachers under this section to
62	62	facilitate mentoring activities, including classroom observations
63	63	or participation in supportive coaching.
64	64	SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Education Code, is
65	65	amended by adding Section 42.161 to read as follows:
66	66	Sec. 42.161. MENTOR PROGRAM ALLOTMENT. (a) A school
67	67	district that has implemented a mentoring program for classroom
68	68	teachers who have less than two years of teaching experience under
69	69	Section 21.458 is entitled to an allotment as determined under
70	70	Subsection (b) to fund the mentoring program and to provide
71	71	stipends for mentor teachers.
72	72	(b) The commissioner shall adopt a formula to determine the
73	73	amount that each district described by Subsection (a) is entitled
74	74	to.
75	75	(c) Funding provided to districts under this section may be
76	76	used only for providing:
77	77	(1) mentor teacher stipends;
78	78	(2) scheduled release time for mentor teachers and the
79	79	classroom teachers to whom they are assigned for meeting and
80	80	engaging in mentoring activities; and
81	81	(3) mentoring support through providers of mentor
82	82	training.
83	83	SECTION 3. Section 21.458(c), Education Code, is repealed.
84	84	SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2018-2019
85	85	school year.
86	86	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
87	87	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
88	88	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
89	89	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
90	90	Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
91	91	legislative session.