Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB713 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
	1	+	86R1703 CAE-D
1	2		By: Lucio S.B. No. 713
2		-	(In the Senate - Filed February 8, 2019; March 1, 2019, read
3		-	first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 29, 2019,
4		-	reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
5		-	following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 29, 2019, sent to printer.)
6		-	Click here to see the committee vote
7		-	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 713 By: Powell
8	3
9	4
10	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	6		AN ACT
12	7		relating to a school district assigning a mentor teacher to a new
13	8		classroom teacher.
14	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
15	10		SECTION 1. Section 21.458, Education Code, is amended by
16		-	adding Subsections (a-1), (b-1), (f), ~~(f-1),~~ and (g) and amending
	11	+	adding Subsections (a-1), (b-1), (f), and (g) and amending
17	12		Subsections (b) and (d) to read as follows:
18	13		(a-1) To be assigned as a mentor, a teacher must agree to
19		-	serve as a mentor teacher for at least one school year. The
20		-	assignment must begin not later than the 30th day of employment of
21		-	the classroom teacher to whom the mentor teacher is assigned. A
22		-	district must agree to assign a mentor to a new classroom teacher
23		-	for at least two school years.
	14	+	serve as a mentor teacher for at least two school years. The
	15	+	assignment must begin on the first day of employment of the
	16	+	classroom teacher to whom the mentor teacher is assigned.
24	17		(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
25	18		administer this section, including rules concerning the duties and
26	19		qualifications of a teacher who serves as a mentor and the number of
27	20		classroom teachers that may be assigned to a mentor. The rules
28	21		concerning qualifications must require that to serve as a mentor a
29	22		teacher must:
30	23		(1) complete a research-based mentor and induction
31	24		training program approved by the commissioner;
32	25		(2) complete a mentor training program provided by the
33	26		district; [and]
34	27		(3) have at least three complete years of teaching
35	28		experience with a superior record of assisting students, as a
36	29		whole, in achieving improvement in student performance; and
37	30		(4) demonstrate interpersonal skills, instructional
38	31		effectiveness, and leadership skills.
39	32		(b-1) A school district must provide training to mentor
40	33		teachers and any appropriate district and campus employees who work
41	34		with the classroom teacher or supervise the classroom teacher. The
42	35		training must be completed by the mentor teacher and the district
43	36		and campus employees before the beginning of the school year. The
44	37		district shall also provide supplemental training to mentor
45	38		teachers and employees during the school year. The training must
46	39		include content related to best mentorship practices.
47	40		(d) In adopting rules under this section [Subsection (c)],
48	41		the commissioner shall rely on research-based mentoring programs
49	42		that, through external evaluation, have demonstrated success.
50	43		(f) A mentor teacher must meet with each classroom teacher
51		-	assigned to the mentor not less than 12 hours each semester.
52		-	Observations of the mentor by the classroom teacher being mentored
53		-	or of the classroom teacher being mentored by the mentor may count
54		-	toward the 12 hours of meeting time required for the semester.
55		-	Except as provided by Subsection (f-1), the mentoring sessions must
	44	+	assigned to the mentor at least once a week for an individual
	45	+	mentoring session lasting at least 45 minutes, with not less than 12
	46	+	hours of meeting time each semester. The mentoring sessions must
56	47		address the following topics:
57	48		(1) orientation to the context, policies, and
58	49		practices of the school district;
59	50		(2) data-driven instructional practices;
60	51		(3) specific instructional coaching cycles, including
61	52		coaching regarding conferences between parents and the classroom
62	53		teacher;
63	54		(4) professional development; and
64	55		(5) professional expectations.
65		-	(f-1) Subject to approval by the agency, in determining the
66		-	topics to be addressed in the mentoring sessions, a school district
67		-	may create an appropriate curriculum that meets the district needs.
68	56		(g) A school district must:
69	57		(1) designate a specific time during the regularly
70	58		contracted school day for meetings between mentor teachers and
71	59		classroom teachers assigned to a mentor; and
72	60		(2) schedule release time or a reduced teaching load
73	61		for mentor teachers and classroom teachers under this section to
74	62		facilitate mentoring activities, including classroom observations
75	63		or participation in supportive coaching.
76	64		SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Education Code, is
77	65		amended by adding Section 42.161 to read as follows:
78	66		Sec. 42.161. MENTOR PROGRAM ALLOTMENT. (a) A school
79	67		district that has implemented a mentoring program for classroom
80	68		teachers who have less than two years of teaching experience under
81	69		Section 21.458 is entitled to an allotment as determined under
82	70		Subsection (b) to fund the mentoring program and to provide
83	71		stipends for mentor teachers.
84	72		(b) The commissioner shall adopt a formula to determine the
85	73		amount to which each district described by Subsection (a) is
86	74		entitled.
87	75		(c) Funding provided to districts under this section may be
88	76		used only for providing:
89	77		(1) mentor teacher stipends;
90	78		(2) scheduled release time for mentor teachers and the
91	79		classroom teachers to whom they are assigned for meeting and
92	80		engaging in mentoring activities; and
93	81		(3) mentoring support through providers of mentor
94	82		training.
95	83		SECTION 3. Section 21.458(c), Education Code, is repealed.
96	84		SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020
97	85		school year.
98		-	SECTION 5. The Texas Education Agency is required to
99		-	implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature
100		-	appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the
101		-	legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that
102		-	purpose, the Texas Education Agency may, but is not required to,
103		-	implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations
104		-	available for that purpose.
105		-	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	86	+	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
106	87		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
107	88		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
108	89		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
109	90		Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
110		-	* * * * *