2021S0176-1 03/09/21
By: Hughes S.B. No. 1356
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a program to facilitate public school tutoring by
certain teachers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter N to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER N. TUTORING BY CERTAIN TEACHERS
Sec. 21.651. NONPROFIT TEACHER ORGANIZATIONS. (a) Subject
to Subsection (b), a nonprofit teacher organization may participate
in a program, to be overseen by the agency, that facilitates the
tutoring of public school students in kindergarten through grade 12
by active or retired certified teachers who are members of the
organization.
(b) To qualify to participate in the program, the
organization must submit an application for approval by the
commissioner.
Sec. 21.652. FACILITATING TEACHER PARTICIPATION. (a) Each
participating nonprofit teacher organization shall inform its
members of the tutoring program quarterly.
(b) A participating organization shall provide contact
information to each member for the member to use to inquire with the
agency about offering tutoring. The organization shall also
provide information to the member to contact the school district
within which the member resides and adjacent school districts.
Sec. 21.653. TEACHER CLEARINGHOUSE. (a) The agency shall
maintain a clearinghouse of active and retired certified teachers
who are eligible to provide tutoring.
(b) Teachers who offer to tutor and are not in the
clearinghouse must pass a background check to enter the
clearinghouse.
Sec. 21.654. COMPENSATION. (a) A teacher providing
tutoring services under the program may elect to provide those
services:
(1) for compensation;
(2) on a voluntary basis; or
(3) for both compensation and on a voluntary basis.
(b) Compensation may be provided from any available state or
federal funds.
Sec. 21.655. DISTRICT PARTICIPATION. (a) Each public
school campus shall establish a point of contact to facilitate
participation in the program by its school district.
(b) If an active or retired certified teacher contacts the
school district to offer tutoring services and is eligible under
the clearinghouse, the district shall use the teacher for tutoring
on campus or online and shall facilitate the scheduling of tutoring
services.
(c) A teacher may indicate the teacher's preference for
conducting tutoring sessions on campus or online.
(d) Public school campuses shall work with participating
teacher organizations to schedule tutoring sessions in subjects for
which their school districts do not have adequate tutoring
resources.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 821, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 821.011 to read as follows:
Sec. 821.011. NOTICE OF THE TEACHER TUTORING PROGRAM. The
retirement system shall provide each member information quarterly
about the teacher tutoring program established under Subchapter N,
Chapter 21, Education Code, and the contact information for the
member to inquire about the program with the Texas Education
Agency, the school district in which the member resides, and
adjacent school districts.
SECTION 3. Section 824.602, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) For purposes of Section 824.601, a retiree serving as a
tutor under the teacher tutoring program established under
Subchapter N, Chapter 21, Education Code, is not considered to be
employed in a Texas public educational institution.
SECTION 4. The commissioner of education may adopt rules as
necessary to implement Subchapter N, Chapter 21, Education Code, as
added by this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.