| 1 | 1 | | 87R617 MP-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lucio S.B. No. 559 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to teacher certification examinations in bilingual target |
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| 8 | 8 | | language proficiency and to certification requirements for |
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| 9 | 9 | | teachers in bilingual education. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 29.061, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Subsections (b-3) and (b-4) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (b-3) For a bilingual target language proficiency |
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| 14 | 14 | | certification examination prescribed under Section 21.048(a), the |
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| 15 | 15 | | commissioner shall adopt satisfactory levels of performance |
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| 16 | 16 | | differentiated for each grade level based on the level of language |
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| 17 | 17 | | proficiency required to teach that language in a bilingual |
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| 18 | 18 | | education program at that grade level. An educator preparation |
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| 19 | 19 | | program may not be penalized under Section 21.045 for a candidate |
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| 20 | 20 | | that meets the lowest satisfactory level of performance adopted |
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| 21 | 21 | | under this subsection on a bilingual target language proficiency |
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| 22 | 22 | | certification examination, regardless of the grade level for which |
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| 23 | 23 | | the candidate was seeking certification. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (b-4) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, a |
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| 25 | 25 | | teacher may only be assigned to a bilingual education program, or, |
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| 26 | 26 | | for a bilingual education program described by Subsection (b-1), |
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| 27 | 27 | | for the component of the program provided in a language other than |
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| 28 | 28 | | English, at a grade level for which the teacher has achieved on the |
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| 29 | 29 | | applicable bilingual target language proficiency certification |
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| 30 | 30 | | examination the satisfactory level of performance for that grade |
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| 31 | 31 | | level adopted by the commissioner under Subsection (b-3). A teacher |
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| 32 | 32 | | appropriately certified in bilingual education before January 1, |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2022, may be assigned to a bilingual education program at any grade |
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| 34 | 34 | | level. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2022, the commissioner |
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| 36 | 36 | | of education shall adopt the satisfactory levels of performance as |
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| 37 | 37 | | required by Section 29.061(b-3), Education Code, as added by this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. Section 29.061(b-4), Education Code, as added by |
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| 40 | 40 | | this Act, applies beginning with the 2022-2023 school year. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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