Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2485 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1	1	88R9076 ANG-D
2	2	By: Lopez of Cameron H.B. No. 2485
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to mentors assigned to classroom teachers in public
8	8	schools.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Sections 21.458(a), (a-1), (b), (b-1), (f), and
11	11	(g), Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
12	12	(a) Each school district may assign a mentor who is an
13	13	educator [teacher] to each classroom teacher who has less than two
14	14	years of teaching experience in the subject or grade level to which
15	15	the teacher is assigned. An educator [A teacher] assigned as a
16	16	mentor must:
17	17	(1) to the extent practicable, teach in the same
18	18	school;
19	19	(2) to the extent practicable, teach the same subject
20	20	or grade level, as applicable; and
21	21	(3) meet the qualifications prescribed by
22	22	commissioner rules adopted under Subsection (b).
23	23	(a-1) To be assigned as a mentor, an educator [a teacher]
24	24	must agree to serve as a mentor [teacher] for at least one school
25	25	year. The assignment must begin not later than the 30th day of
26	26	employment of the classroom teacher to whom the mentor [teacher] is
27	27	assigned. A district must agree to assign a mentor to a new
28	28	classroom teacher for at least two school years.
29	29	(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to
30	30	administer this section, including rules concerning the duties and
31	31	qualifications of an educator [a teacher] who serves as a mentor and
32	32	the number of classroom teachers that may be assigned to a mentor.
33	33	The rules concerning qualifications must require that to serve as a
34	34	mentor an educator [a teacher] must:
35	35	(1) complete a research-based mentor and induction
36	36	training program approved by the commissioner;
37	37	(2) complete a mentor training program provided by the
38	38	district, which the district may allow to be satisfied by
39	39	completing the training program described by Subdivision (1);
40	40	(3) have at least three complete years of [teaching]
41	41	experience as an educator with a superior record of assisting
42	42	students, as a whole, in achieving improvement in student
43	43	performance; and
44	44	(4) demonstrate interpersonal skills, instructional
45	45	effectiveness, and leadership skills.
46	46	(b-1) A school district must provide training as described
47	47	by Subsection (b)(2) to mentors [mentor teachers] and any
48	48	appropriate district and campus employees who work with the
49	49	classroom teacher or supervise the classroom teacher. A district
50	50	may allow a training program approved by the commissioner under
51	51	Subsection (b)(1) to qualify for the training required by this
52	52	section. The training must be completed by the mentor [teacher] and
53	53	the district and campus employees before the beginning of the
54	54	school year. The district shall also provide supplemental training
55	55	to mentors [mentor teachers] and employees during the school year.
56	56	The training must include content related to best mentorship
57	57	practices.
58	58	(f) A mentor [teacher] must meet with each classroom teacher
59	59	assigned to the mentor not less than 12 hours each semester.
60	60	Observations of the mentor by the classroom teacher being mentored,
61	61	if applicable, or of the classroom teacher being mentored by the
62	62	mentor may count toward the 12 hours of meeting time required for
63	63	the semester. Except as provided by Subsection (f-1), the
64	64	mentoring sessions must address the following topics:
65	65	(1) orientation to the context, policies, and
66	66	practices of the school district;
67	67	(2) data-driven instructional practices;
68	68	(3) specific instructional coaching cycles, including
69	69	coaching regarding conferences between parents and the classroom
70	70	teacher;
71	71	(4) professional development; and
72	72	(5) professional expectations.
73	73	(g) A school district must:
74	74	(1) designate a specific time during the regularly
75	75	contracted school day for meetings between mentors [mentor
76	76	teachers] and classroom teachers assigned to a mentor; and
77	77	(2) schedule release time or a reduced teaching load
78	78	for mentors, if applicable, [mentor teachers] and classroom
79	79	teachers under this section to facilitate mentoring activities,
80	80	including classroom observations or participation in supportive
81	81	coaching.
82	82	SECTION 2. Sections 48.114(a) and (c), Education Code, are
83	83	amended to read as follows:
84	84	(a) A school district that has implemented a mentoring
85	85	program for classroom teachers who have less than two years of
86	86	teaching experience under Section 21.458 is entitled to an
87	87	allotment as determined under Subsection (b) to fund the mentoring
88	88	program and to provide stipends for educators who are mentors
89	89	[mentor teachers].
90	90	(c) Funding provided to districts under this section may be
91	91	used only for providing:
92	92	(1) mentor [teacher] stipends;
93	93	(2) scheduled release time for mentors [mentor
94	94	teachers] and the classroom teachers to whom they are assigned for
95	95	meeting and engaging in mentoring activities; and
96	96	(3) mentoring support through providers of mentor
97	97	training.
98	98	SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
99	99	school year.
100	100	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
101	101	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
102	102	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
103	103	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
104	104	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.