Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB11 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Dutton, King of Hemphill, Harless, H.B. No. 11
2	2	Buckley, Jones of Harris, et al.
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the rights and certification of public school
8	8	educators, including financial and other assistance and waivers
9	9	provided to public schools by the Texas Education Agency related to
10	10	public school educators, methods of instruction provided in public
11	11	schools, and certain allotments under the Foundation School
12	12	Program.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
15	15	amended by adding Section 21.010 to read as follows:
16	16	Sec. 21.010. TEACHER POSITION DATA COLLECTION. The agency
17	17	shall collect data from school districts and open-enrollment
18	18	charter schools for the recruitment and retention of classroom
19	19	teachers, including the classification, grade level, subject area,
20	20	duration, and other relevant information regarding vacant teaching
21	21	positions in a district or school. The data may be collected using
22	22	the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) or
23	23	another reporting mechanism specified by the agency.
24	24	SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
25	25	amended by adding Section 21.0411 to read as follows:
26	26	Sec. 21.0411. WAIVER OR PAYMENT OF CERTAIN EXAMINATION AND
27	27	CERTIFICATION FEES. (a) Notwithstanding a rule adopted under
28	28	Section 21.041(c), the board shall, for a person applying for a
29	29	certification to teach established under this subchapter, waive:
30	30	(1) a certification examination fee imposed by the
31	31	board for the first administration of the examination to the
32	32	person; and
33	33	(2) a fee associated with the application for
34	34	certification by the person.
35	35	(b) The board shall pay to a vendor that administers a
36	36	certification examination required for certification to teach
37	37	under this subchapter a fee assessed by that vendor for the
38	38	examination of a person applying for a certification to teach
39	39	established under this subchapter for the first administration of
40	40	the examination to the person.
41	41	SECTION 3. Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended by
42	42	adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
43	43	(h) An educator preparation program, including an educator
44	44	preparation program offered by an institution of higher education,
45	45	as defined by Section 61.003, may not include instruction that
46	46	incorporates the method of three-cueing, as defined by Section
47	47	28.0062(a-1), into foundational skills reading instruction.
48	48	SECTION 4. Section 21.051, Education Code, is amended by
49	49	adding Subsections (f-2) and (f-3) to read as follows:
50	50	(f-2) The board shall propose rules as soon as practicable
51	51	providing that a candidate for certification enrolled in an
52	52	educator preparation program is entitled to not fewer than five
53	53	candidate observations during a school year that fulfill the
54	54	requirements for field-based experience if the candidate:
55	55	(1) is employed by a district of innovation with a
56	56	local innovation plan developed under Section 12A.003 that exempts
57	57	the district from the requirements of Section 21.003; and
58	58	(2) does not hold a teacher intern certificate or a
59	59	probationary certificate issued under Section 21.0491.
60	60	(f-3) A candidate for certification who fulfills the
61	61	requirements for field-based experience in accordance with
62	62	Subsection (f-2):
63	63	(1) may be issued a standard certificate if the
64	64	candidate completes all other eligibility requirements required to
65	65	receive a teacher intern or probationary certification, including
66	66	passing any examination required for that certification, required
67	67	by the board, and in accordance with timelines established by board
68	68	rule; and
69	69	(2) may not be issued a teacher intern or probationary
70	70	certificate.
71	71	SECTION 5. Section 21.105, Education Code, is amended by
72	72	amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
73	73	follows:
74	74	(c) Subject to Subsections (e), [and] (f), and (g), on
75	75	written complaint by the employing district, the State Board for
76	76	Educator Certification may impose sanctions against a teacher
77	77	employed under a probationary contract who:
78	78	(1) resigns;
79	79	(2) fails without good cause to comply with Subsection
80	80	(a) or (b); and
81	81	(3) fails to perform the contract.
82	82	(g) The State Board for Educator Certification may not
83	83	impose a sanction under Subsection (c) against a teacher who
84	84	relinquishes a position under a probationary contract and leaves
85	85	the employment of the district after the 45th day before the first
86	86	day of instruction for the upcoming school year in violation of
87	87	Subsection (a) and without the consent of the board of trustees
88	88	under Subsection (b), if the teacher's failure to comply with
89	89	Subsection (a) was due to:
90	90	(1) the teacher, or a close family member of the
91	91	teacher, developing a serious illness or experiencing a significant
92	92	change in health condition;
93	93	(2) the teacher relocating because the teacher's
94	94	spouse or a partner who resides with the teacher changes employers;
95	95	(3) the needs of the teacher's family changing
96	96	significantly in a manner that requires the teacher to:
97	97	(A) relocate; or
98	98	(B) forgo employment during a period of required
99	99	employment under the teacher's contract; or
100	100	(4) the teacher reasonably believing that the teacher
101	101	received written permission from the school district to resign.
102	102	SECTION 6. Section 21.160, Education Code, is amended by
103	103	amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
104	104	follows:
105	105	(c) Subject to Subsections (e), [and] (f), and (g), on
106	106	written complaint by the employing district, the State Board for
107	107	Educator Certification may impose sanctions against a teacher who
108	108	is employed under a continuing contract that obligates the district
109	109	to employ the person for the following school year and who:
110	110	(1) resigns;
111	111	(2) fails without good cause to comply with Subsection
112	112	(a) or (b); and
113	113	(3) fails to perform the contract.
114	114	(g) The State Board for Educator Certification may not
115	115	impose a sanction under Subsection (c) against a teacher who
116	116	relinquishes a position under a continuing contract and leaves the
117	117	employment of the district after the 45th day before the first day
118	118	of instruction of the upcoming school year in violation of
119	119	Subsection (a) and without the consent of the board of trustees
120	120	under Subsection (b), if the teacher's failure to comply with
121	121	Subsection (a) was due to:
122	122	(1) the teacher, or a close family member of the
123	123	teacher, developing a serious illness or experiencing a significant
124	124	change in health condition;
125	125	(2) the teacher relocating because the teacher's
126	126	spouse or a partner who resides with the teacher changes employers;
127	127	(3) the needs of the teacher's family changing
128	128	significantly in a manner that requires the teacher to:
129	129	(A) relocate; or
130	130	(B) forgo employment during a period of required
131	131	employment under the teacher's contract; or
132	132	(4) the teacher reasonably believing that the teacher
133	133	received written permission from the school district to resign.
134	134	SECTION 7. Section 21.210, Education Code, is amended by
135	135	amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g) to read as
136	136	follows:
137	137	(c) Subject to Subsections (e), [and] (f), and (g), on
138	138	written complaint by the employing district, the State Board for
139	139	Educator Certification may impose sanctions against a teacher who
140	140	is employed under a term contract that obligates the district to
141	141	employ the person for the following school year and who:
142	142	(1) resigns;
143	143	(2) fails without good cause to comply with Subsection
144	144	(a) or (b); and
145	145	(3) fails to perform the contract.
146	146	(g) The State Board for Educator Certification may not
147	147	impose a sanction under Subsection (c) against a teacher who
148	148	relinquishes a position under a term contract and leaves the
149	149	employment of the district after the 45th day before the first day
150	150	of instruction of the upcoming school year in violation of
151	151	Subsection (a) and without the consent of the board of trustees
152	152	under Subsection (b), if the teacher's failure to comply with
153	153	Subsection (a) was due to:
154	154	(1) the teacher, or a close family member of the
155	155	teacher, developing a serious illness or experiencing a significant
156	156	change in health condition;
157	157	(2) the teacher relocating because the teacher's
158	158	spouse or a partner who resides with the teacher changes employers;
159	159	(3) the needs of the teacher's family changing
160	160	significantly in a manner that requires the teacher to:
161	161	(A) relocate; or
162	162	(B) forgo employment during a period of required
163	163	employment under the teacher's contract; or
164	164	(4) the teacher reasonably believing that the teacher
165	165	received written permission from the school district to resign.
166	166	SECTION 8. Sections 21.3521(a), (c), and (e), Education
167	167	Code, are amended to read as follows:
168	168	(a) Subject to Subsection (b), a school district or
169	169	open-enrollment charter school may designate a classroom teacher as
170	170	a master, exemplary, [or] recognized, or acknowledged teacher for a
171	171	five-year period based on the results from single year or multiyear
172	172	appraisals that comply with Section 21.351 or 21.352.
173	173	(c) Notwithstanding performance standards established
174	174	under Subsection (b), a classroom teacher that holds a National
175	175	Board Certification issued by the National Board for Professional
176	176	Teaching Standards may be designated as nationally board certified
177	177	[recognized].
178	178	(e) The agency shall develop and provide technical
179	179	assistance for school districts and open-enrollment charter
180	180	schools that request assistance in implementing a local optional
181	181	teacher designation system, including:
182	182	(1) providing assistance in prioritizing high needs
183	183	campuses;
184	184	(2) providing examples of local optional teacher
185	185	designation systems;
186	186	(3) applying the performance and validity standards
187	187	established by the commissioner under Subsection (b);
188	188	(4) providing centralized support for the analysis of
189	189	the results of assessment instruments administered to district or
190	190	school students; and
191	191	(5) facilitating effective communication on and
192	192	promotion of local optional teacher designation systems.
193	193	SECTION 9. Subchapter H, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
194	194	amended by adding Section 21.3522 to read as follows:
195	195	Sec. 21.3522. LOCAL OPTIONAL TEACHER DESIGNATION SYSTEM
196	196	GRANT PROGRAM. (a) From funds appropriated or otherwise available
197	197	for the purpose, the agency shall establish and administer a grant
198	198	program to provide money and technical assistance to:
199	199	(1) expand implementation of local optional teacher
200	200	designation systems under Section 21.3521; and
201	201	(2) increase the number of classroom teachers eligible
202	202	for a designation under that section.
203	203	(b) A grant awarded under this section must:
204	204	(1) meet the needs of individual school districts; and
205	205	(2) enable regional leadership capacity.
206	206	(c) The commissioner may adopt rules to establish and
207	207	administer the grant program under this section.
208	208	SECTION 10. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
209	209	amended by adding Section 21.416 to read as follows:
210	210	Sec. 21.416. EMPLOYED RETIREE TEACHER REIMBURSEMENT GRANT
211	211	PROGRAM. (a) From funds appropriated or otherwise available, the
212	212	commissioner shall establish and administer a grant program to
213	213	award funds to reimburse a school district or open-enrollment
214	214	charter school that hires a teacher who retired before September 1,
215	215	2022, for the increased contributions to the Teacher Retirement
216	216	System of Texas associated with hiring the retired teacher.
217	217	(b) In appropriating money for grants awarded under this
218	218	section, the legislature may provide for, modify, or limit amounts
219	219	appropriated for that purpose in the General Appropriations Act,
220	220	including by:
221	221	(1) providing, notwithstanding Subsection (a), a date
222	222	or date range other than September 1, 2022, before which a teacher
223	223	must have retired for a school district or open-enrollment charter
224	224	school that hires the teacher to be eligible; or
225	225	(2) limiting eligibility to a school district or
226	226	open-enrollment charter school that hires a retired teacher:
227	227	(A) who holds a certain certification;
228	228	(B) to teach a certain subject or grade;
229	229	(C) in a certain geographical area; or
230	230	(D) to provide instruction to certain students,
231	231	including to students with disabilities.
232	232	(c) The commissioner shall proportionally reduce the amount
233	233	of funds awarded to school districts and open-enrollment charter
234	234	schools under this section if the number of grant applications by
235	235	eligible districts or schools exceeds the number of grants the
236	236	commissioner could award with the money appropriated or otherwise
237	237	available for the purpose.
238	238	(d) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
239	239	use funds received under this section to make required payments
240	240	under Section 825.4092, Government Code.
241	241	SECTION 11. Subchapter J, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
242	242	amended by adding Sections 21.466 and 21.467 to read as follows:
243	243	Sec. 21.466. TEACHER QUALITY ASSISTANCE. (a) From funds
244	244	appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the agency
245	245	shall develop training for and provide technical assistance to
246	246	school districts and open-enrollment charter schools regarding:
247	247	(1) strategic compensation, staffing, and scheduling
248	248	efforts that improve professional growth, teacher leadership
249	249	opportunities, and staff retention;
250	250	(2) programs that encourage high school students or
251	251	other members of the community in the area served by the district to
252	252	become teachers, including available teacher apprenticeship
253	253	programs; and
254	254	(3) programs or strategies that school leaders may use
255	255	to establish clear and attainable behavior expectations while
256	256	proactively supporting students.
257	257	(b) From funds appropriated or otherwise available, the
258	258	agency shall provide grants to school districts and open-enrollment
259	259	charter schools to implement initiatives developed under this
260	260	section.
261	261	Sec. 21.467. TEACHER TIME STUDY. (a) From funds
262	262	appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, the agency
263	263	shall develop and maintain a technical assistance program to
264	264	support school districts and open-enrollment charter schools in:
265	265	(1) studying how the district's or school's staff and
266	266	student schedules, required noninstructional duties for classroom
267	267	teachers, and professional development requirements for educators
268	268	are affecting the amount of time classroom teachers work each week;
269	269	and
270	270	(2) refining the schedules for students or staff as
271	271	necessary to ensure teachers have sufficient time during normal
272	272	work hours to fulfill all job duties, including addressing the
273	273	needs of students.
274	274	(b) The agency shall periodically make findings and
275	275	recommendations for best practices publicly available using
276	276	information from participating school districts and
277	277	open-enrollment charter schools.
278	278	SECTION 12. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by
279	279	adding Subchapter R to read as follows:
280	280	SUBCHAPTER R. TEXAS TEACHER RESIDENCY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM
281	281	Sec. 21.901. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
282	282	(1) "Board" means the State Board for Educator
283	283	Certification.
284	284	(2) "Cooperating teacher" means a classroom teacher
285	285	who:
286	286	(A) has at least three complete years of teaching
287	287	experience with a superior record of assisting students, as a
288	288	whole, in achieving improvement in student performance;
289	289	(B) is employed by a school district or
290	290	open-enrollment charter school participating in a partnership
291	291	program under this subchapter and paired with a partnership
292	292	resident at the district or school; and
293	293	(C) provides coaching to a partnership resident
294	294	in the teacher's classroom.
295	295	(3) "Partnership program" means a Texas Teacher
296	296	Residency Partnership Program established at a school district or
297	297	open-enrollment charter school in accordance with this subchapter.
298	298	(4) "Partnership resident" means a person enrolled in
299	299	a qualified educator preparation program participating in a
300	300	partnership program as a candidate for educator certification.
301	301	(5) "Qualified educator preparation program" means an
302	302	educator preparation program approved in accordance with rules
303	303	proposed under Section 21.903.
304	304	Sec. 21.902. ESTABLISHMENT OF PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. (a)
305	305	The commissioner shall establish the Texas Teacher Residency
306	306	Partnership Program to enable qualified educator preparation
307	307	programs to form partnerships with school districts or
308	308	open-enrollment charter schools to provide residency positions to
309	309	partnership residents at the district or school.
310	310	(b) The partnership program must be designed to:
311	311	(1) allow partnership residents to receive
312	312	field-based experience working with cooperating teachers in
313	313	prekindergarten through grade 12 classrooms; and
314	314	(2) gradually increase the amount of time a
315	315	partnership resident spends engaging in instructional
316	316	responsibilities, including observation, co-teaching, and
317	317	lead-teaching responsibilities.
318	318	Sec. 21.903. QUALIFIED EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS. The
319	319	board shall propose rules specifying the requirements for board
320	320	approval of an educator preparation program as a qualified educator
321	321	preparation program for purposes of this subchapter. The rules
322	322	must require an educator preparation program to:
323	323	(1) use research-based best practices for recruiting
324	324	and admitting candidates into the educator preparation program to
325	325	participate in the partnership program;
326	326	(2) integrate curriculum, classroom practice, and
327	327	formal observation and feedback;
328	328	(3) use multiple assessments to measure a partnership
329	329	resident's progress in the partnership program; and
330	330	(4) partner with a school district or open-enrollment
331	331	charter school.
332	332	Sec. 21.904. REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING DISTRICTS AND
333	333	SCHOOLS. (a) A school district or open-enrollment charter school
334	334	participating in the partnership program shall:
335	335	(1) enter into a written agreement with a qualified
336	336	educator preparation program to:
337	337	(A) provide a partnership resident with at least
338	338	one school year of clinical teaching in a residency position at the
339	339	district or school in the subject area and grade level for which the
340	340	resident seeks certification; and
341	341	(B) pair the partnership resident with a
342	342	cooperating teacher;
343	343	(2) only use money received under Section 48.157 to:
344	344	(A) implement the partnership program;
345	345	(B) provide compensation to:
346	346	(i) partnership residents in residency
347	347	positions at the district or school; and
348	348	(ii) cooperating teachers who are paired
349	349	with partnership residents at the district or school; and
350	350	(C) provide an amount equal to at least 10
351	351	percent of the funding received by the district or school to the
352	352	qualified educator preparation program with which the district or
353	353	school partners;
354	354	(3) pay at least 50 percent of the compensation paid to
355	355	partnership residents using money other than money received under
356	356	Section 48.157; and
357	357	(4) provide any information required by the agency
358	358	regarding the district's or school's implementation of the program.
359	359	(b) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may
360	360	only pair a partnership resident with a cooperating teacher who
361	361	agrees to participate in that role in a partnership program at the
362	362	district or school partnership program.
363	363	(c) A partnership resident may not serve as a teacher of
364	364	record, as that term is defined by Section 21.051.
365	365	Sec. 21.905. RESIDENCY EDUCATOR CERTIFICATE. The board
366	366	shall propose rules specifying the requirements for the issuance of
367	367	a residency educator certificate to a candidate who has
368	368	successfully completed a qualified educator preparation program
369	369	under Section 21.903. The rules may not require the resident to
370	370	pass a pedagogy examination unless the examination tests
371	371	subject-specific content appropriate for the grade and subject area
372	372	for which the candidate seeks certification.
373	373	Sec. 21.906. AGENCY SUPPORT. The agency shall provide
374	374	technical assistance, planning, and support to school districts,
375	375	open-enrollment charter schools, and qualified educator
376	376	preparation programs, which must include:
377	377	(1) providing model forms and agreements a district,
378	378	school, or educator preparation program may use to comply with the
379	379	requirements of this subchapter; and
380	380	(2) support for district and school strategic staffing
381	381	and compensation models to incentivize participation in a
382	382	partnership program.
383	383	Sec. 21.907. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CERTAIN FUNDS. The
384	384	commissioner may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations
385	385	from public and private entities to use for the purposes of this
386	386	subchapter.
387	387	Sec. 21.908. RULES; NEGOTIATED RULEMAKING COMMITTEE. (a)
388	388	The board shall propose rules necessary to implement this
389	389	subchapter, including, subject to Subsection (b), rules under
390	390	Sections 21.903 and 21.905.
391	391	(b) In using negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter
392	392	2008, Government Code, for any proposed rule related to the
393	393	implementation of Section 21.903 or 21.905, the board must appoint
394	394	to the negotiated rulemaking committee persons representing
395	395	institutions of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003.
396	396	(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
397	397	implement this subchapter after considering the recommendations of
398	398	the negotiated rulemaking committee appointed under Subsection
399	399	(b).
400	400	SECTION 13. Section 28.0062, Education Code, is amended by
401	401	adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
402	402	(a-1) In this subsection, "three-cueing" means any model,
403	403	including the model referred to as meaning, structure, and visual
404	404	cues (MSV), of teaching a student to read based on meaning,
405	405	structure and syntax, and visual cues or memory. A school district
406	406	or open-enrollment charter school may not include any instruction
407	407	that incorporates three-cueing in the foundational skills reading
408	408	curriculum for kindergarten through third grade.
409	409	SECTION 14. Sections 29.054(b) and (c), Education Code, are
410	410	amended to read as follows:
411	411	(b) An application for an exception may be filed with the
412	412	agency when a district is unable to hire a sufficient number of
413	413	teachers with teaching certificates appropriate for bilingual
414	414	education instruction to staff the required program. The
415	415	application must be accompanied by:
416	416	(1) documentation showing that the district has taken
417	417	all reasonable affirmative steps to secure teachers with teaching
418	418	certificates appropriate for bilingual education instruction and
419	419	has failed;
420	420	(2) documentation showing that the district has
421	421	affirmative hiring policies and procedures consistent with the need
422	422	to serve emergent bilingual students;
423	423	(3) documentation showing that, on the basis of
424	424	district records, no teacher having a teaching certificate
425	425	appropriate for bilingual instruction or emergency credentials has
426	426	been unjustifiably denied employment by the district within the
427	427	past 36 [12] months; and
428	428	(4) a plan detailing specific measures to be used by
429	429	the district to eliminate the conditions that created the need for
430	430	an exception.
431	431	(c) An exception shall be granted under this section on an
432	432	individual district basis and is valid for three years [only one
433	433	year]. Application for an exception for a second or succeeding
434	434	three-year period: [year]
435	435	(1) must be accompanied by the documentation
436	436	prescribed by Subsection (b); and
437	437	(2) may be for different teachers than the teachers
438	438	who were included in an application for an exception for a preceding
439	439	period.
440	440	SECTION 15. Section 29.153(b), Education Code, is amended
441	441	to read as follows:
442	442	(b) A child is eligible for enrollment in a prekindergarten
443	443	class under this section if the child is at least three years of age
444	444	and:
445	445	(1) is unable to speak and comprehend the English
446	446	language;
447	447	(2) is educationally disadvantaged;
448	448	(3) is homeless, regardless of the residence of the
449	449	child, of either parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or
450	450	other person having lawful control of the child;
451	451	(4) is the child of an active duty member of the armed
452	452	forces of the United States, including the state military forces or
453	453	a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active
454	454	duty by proper authority;
455	455	(5) is the child of a member of the armed forces of the
456	456	United States, including the state military forces or a reserve
457	457	component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while
458	458	serving on active duty;
459	459	(6) is or ever has been in:
460	460	(A) the conservatorship of the Department of
461	461	Family and Protective Services following an adversary hearing held
462	462	as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code; or
463	463	(B) foster care in another state or territory, if
464	464	the child resides in this state; [or]
465	465	(7) is the child of a person eligible for the Star of
466	466	Texas Award as:
467	467	(A) a peace officer under Section 3106.002,
468	468	Government Code;
469	469	(B) a firefighter under Section 3106.003,
470	470	Government Code; or
471	471	(C) an emergency medical first responder under
472	472	Section 3106.004, Government Code; or
473	473	(8) is the child of a person employed as a classroom
474	474	teacher at a public primary or secondary school in the school
475	475	district that offers a prekindergarten class under this section.
476	476	SECTION 16. Section 48.108, Education Code, is amended by
477	477	adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
478	478	(a-1) For each student in average daily attendance in
479	479	prekindergarten, a school district is entitled to an annual
480	480	allotment equal to the basic allotment multiplied by 0.1 if the
481	481	student is at least four years of age and eligible to enroll in a
482	482	prekindergarten class under Section 29.153(b).
483	483	SECTION 17. Sections 48.112(c) and (d), Education Code, are
484	484	amended to read as follows:
485	485	(c) For each classroom teacher with a teacher designation
486	486	under Section 21.3521 employed by a school district, the school
487	487	district is entitled to an allotment equal to the following
488	488	applicable base amount increased by the high needs and rural factor
489	489	as determined under Subsection (d):
490	490	(1) $12,000, or an increased amount not to exceed
491	491	$36,000 [$32,000] as determined under Subsection (d), for each
492	492	master teacher;
493	493	(2) $9,000 [$6,000], or an increased amount not to
494	494	exceed $25,000 [$18,000] as determined under Subsection (d), for
495	495	each exemplary teacher; [and]
496	496	(3) $5,000 [$3,000], or an increased amount not to
497	497	exceed $15,000 [$9,000] as determined under Subsection (d), for
498	498	each recognized teacher; and
499	499	(4) $3,000, or an increased amount not to exceed
500	500	$9,000 as determined under Subsection (d), for each:
501	501	(A) acknowledged teacher; or
502	502	(B) teacher designated as nationally board
503	503	certified.
504	504	(d) The high needs and rural factor is determined by
505	505	multiplying the following applicable amounts by the average of the
506	506	point value assigned to each student at a district campus under
507	507	Subsection (e):
508	508	(1) $6,000 [$5,000] for each master teacher;
509	509	(2) $4,000 [$3,000] for each exemplary teacher; [and]
510	510	(3) $2,500 [$1,500] for each recognized teacher; and
511	511	(4) $1,500 for each:
512	512	(A) acknowledged teacher; or
513	513	(B) teacher designated as nationally board
514	514	certified.
515	515	SECTION 18. Section 48.114, Education Code, is amended by
516	516	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
517	517	follows:
518	518	(a) A school district [that has implemented a mentoring
519	519	program for classroom teachers who have less than two years of
520	520	teaching experience under Section 21.458] is entitled to an
521	521	allotment [as determined under Subsection (b)] to fund a [the]
522	522	mentoring program and to provide stipends for mentor teachers if:
523	523	(1) the district has implemented a mentoring program
524	524	for classroom teachers under Section 21.458; and
525	525	(2) the mentor teachers assigned under that program
526	526	complete a training program that is required or developed by the
527	527	agency for mentor teachers.
528	528	(d) A school district is entitled to an allotment of $2,000
529	529	for each classroom teacher with less than two years of experience
530	530	who participates in a mentoring program described by Subsection
531	531	(a). A district may receive an allotment under this section for no
532	532	more than 40 teachers during a school year, except that the
533	533	commissioner may approve an application submitted by the district
534	534	to receive for a school year additional allotments for additional
535	535	classroom teachers, if the district has more than 40 classroom
536	536	teachers who are eligible to participate in the mentoring program
537	537	described by Subsection (a). In approving applications under this
538	538	subsection, the commissioner shall ensure the total amount provided
539	539	in allotments under this section does not exceed the amount
540	540	appropriated for that purpose for that school year.
541	541	SECTION 19. Subchapter D, Chapter 48, Education Code, is
542	542	amended by adding Section 48.157 to read as follows:
543	543	Sec. 48.157. RESIDENCY PARTNERSHIP ALLOTMENT. (a) In this
544	544	section:
545	545	(1) "Partnership program" and "partnership resident"
546	546	have the meanings assigned by Section 21.901.
547	547	(2) "Rural campus" has the meaning assigned by Section
548	548	48.112.
549	549	(b) For each partnership resident employed at a school
550	550	district in a residency position under Subchapter R, Chapter 21,
551	551	the district is entitled to an allotment equal to a base amount of
552	552	$22,000 increased by the high needs and rural factor, as determined
553	553	under Subsection (c), to an amount not to exceed $42,000.
554	554	(c) The high needs and rural factor is determined by
555	555	multiplying $5,000 by the lesser of:
556	556	(1) the average of the point value assigned to each
557	557	student at a district campus under Sections 48.112(e) and (f); or
558	558	(2) 4.0.
559	559	(d) In addition to the funding under Subsection (b), a
560	560	district that qualifies for an allotment under this section is
561	561	entitled to an additional $2,000 for each partnership resident
562	562	employed in a residency position at the district who is a candidate
563	563	for special education or bilingual education certification.
564	564	(e) The Texas School for the Deaf and the Texas School for
565	565	the Blind and Visually Impaired are entitled to an allotment under
566	566	this section. If the commissioner determines that assigning point
567	567	values under Subsection (c) to students enrolled in the Texas
568	568	School for the Deaf or the Texas School for the Blind and Visually
569	569	Impaired is impractical, the commissioner may use the average point
570	570	value assigned for those students' home districts for purposes of
571	571	calculating the high needs and rural factor.
572	572	SECTION 20. The following provisions are repealed:
573	573	(1) Section 48.114(b), Education Code;
574	574	(2) Subchapter Q, Chapter 21, Education Code; and
575	575	(3) Section 825.4092(f), Government Code, as added by
576	576	Chapter 546 (S.B. 202), Acts of the 87th Legislature, Regular
577	577	Session, 2021.
578	578	SECTION 21. Immediately following the effective date of
579	579	this Act, a school district or open-enrollment charter school shall
580	580	redesignate a teacher who holds a designation made under Section
581	581	21.3521, Education Code, before the effective date of this Act, to
582	582	reflect the teacher's designation under Section 21.3521, Education
583	583	Code, as amended by this Act. Funding provided to a school district
584	584	under Section 48.112, Education Code, for a teacher who held a
585	585	designation made under Section 21.3521, Education Code, as that
586	586	section existed immediately before the effective date of this Act,
587	587	shall be increased to reflect the teacher's redesignation under
588	588	Section 21.3521, Education Code, as amended by this Act.
589	589	SECTION 22. Notwithstanding Section 21.903, Education
590	590	Code, as added by this Act, until the State Board for Educator
591	591	Certification adopts rules specifying the requirements for
592	592	approval of an educator preparation program as a qualified educator
593	593	preparation program as required by that section, the commissioner
594	594	of education may approve a program as a qualified educator
595	595	preparation program for purposes of Subchapter R, Chapter 21,
596	596	Education Code, as added by this Act, if the commissioner
597	597	determines that the program meets the requirements under Section
598	598	21.903, Education Code, as added by this Act. An educator
599	599	preparation program's designation as a qualified educator
600	600	preparation program by the commissioner under this section remains
601	601	effective until the first anniversary of the earliest effective
602	602	date of a rule adopted by the State Board for Educator Certification
603	603	under Section 21.903, Education Code, as added by this Act.
604	604	SECTION 23. Sections 29.054(b) and (c), Education Code, as
605	605	amended by this Act, apply beginning with the 2023-2024 school
606	606	year.
607	607	SECTION 24. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
608	608	this section, this Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school
609	609	year.
610	610	(b) Section 48.108(a-1), Education Code, as added by this
611	611	Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
612	612	SECTION 25. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of
613	613	this section, this Act takes effect immediately if this Act
614	614	receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
615	615	house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
616	616	If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
617	617	effect, the entirety of this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
618	618	(b) Sections 48.112(c) and (d) and 48.114, Education Code,
619	619	as amended by this Act, and Sections 48.108(a-1) and 48.157,
620	620	Education Code, as added by this Act, take effect September 1, 2023.