Texas 2019 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3628 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 05/05/2019

                    86R25021 JES-F
 By: Goodwin, Howard, González of El Paso, H.B. No. 3628
 Talarico
 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3628:
 By:  Allen C.S.H.B. No. 3628


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to creating a special education certification to teach
 students with disabilities.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
 amended by adding Section 21.04891 to read as follows:
 Sec. 21.04891.  SPECIAL EDUCATION CERTIFICATION. (a) To
 ensure that there are teachers with special training in providing
 instruction to students with disabilities, the board shall
 establish a special education certificate.
 (b)  To be eligible for a certificate established under this
 section, a person must:
 (1)  satisfactorily complete the course work or
 training for that certificate in an educator preparation program,
 including a knowledge-based and skills-based course of instruction
 or field-based experience in providing instruction to students with
 disabilities;
 (2)  perform satisfactorily on a special education
 certificate examination prescribed by the board; and
 (3)  satisfy any other requirements prescribed by the
 board.
 SECTION 2.  The State Board for Educator Certification shall
 propose rules:
 (1)  establishing requirements and prescribing an
 examination for a special education certificate examination as
 required by Section 21.04891, Education Code, as added by this Act;
 and
 (2)  establishing standards to govern the approval and
 renewal of approval of educator preparation programs for special
 education certification.
 SECTION 3.  Beginning on or after January 1, 2021, a person
 must satisfy the requirements for certification under Section
 21.04891, Education Code, as added by this Act, to receive a
 certification in special education.
 SECTION 4.  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, 2019.