By: Meyer H.B. No. 4615
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain performance-based incentives and teacher
education and development initiatives administered by the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 62, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter I to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER I. PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVES AND TEACHER
EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
Sec. 62.181. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "institution
of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
Sec. 62.182. FUNDING. The legislature may appropriate
funding for programs established under this subchapter from any
available source.
Sec. 62.183. PERFORMANCE-BASED INCENTIVES. (a) From
funds appropriated for the purpose, the coordinating board shall
provide performance-based incentives to institutions of higher
education based on the achievement of progress toward the goals
established under the state's master plan for higher education
developed under Section 61.051. The coordinating board shall
include adult education, including vocational education, provided
by the Windham School District in the incentive measures developed
under this section.
(b) The coordinating board shall determine eligibility
criteria for and the amount of a performance-based incentive
provided under this section.
Sec. 62.184. TEACHER EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT
INITIATIVES. (a) The coordinating board shall provide grants or
other funding to support teacher education and development
initiatives.
(b) The initiatives may include:
(1) development of or support for high quality
professional development for teachers to increase teacher quality
and student outcomes;
(2) student loan forgiveness programs for
high-performing students who graduate from an institution of higher
education and who commit to teaching in the public schools in this
state for at least eight years immediately following graduation;
(3) the development of a teaching associate degree
program at institutions of higher education that incorporates a
two-year intensive teaching mentorship under a high-performing
teacher and that leads to a teacher certification under Subchapter
B, Chapter 21; or
(4) a competitive grant program for high-performing
teachers at public schools in this state to support grant
recipients' proposals for innovative or promising projects to
improve teacher quality or effectiveness, including projects to
improve or develop best instructional practices, dual language
instruction, professional development curricula for career and
technical education teachers, and conferences or other measures to
promote best pedagogical practices.
(c) The coordinating board shall determine eligibility
criteria for and the amount of funding provided for each initiative
under this section.
Sec. 62.185. RULES. The coordinating board shall adopt
rules for the administration of this subchapter.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2020.