Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2322 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R14459 BDP-D
2	2	By: West S.B. No. 2322
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to measures to improve school district classroom teacher
8	8	retention, including child-care subsidies, eligibility of those
9	9	teachers' children for prekindergarten programs, and student loan
10	10	repayment assistance.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Section 21.418 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 21.418. CHILD-CARE SUBSIDY FOR CLASSROOM TEACHERS.
15	15	(a) From money appropriated or otherwise available for the
16	16	purpose, the agency shall provide a subsidy to each classroom
17	17	teacher in the amount of the teacher's child-care expenses.
18	18	(b) The agency may adopt rules as necessary to implement
19	19	this section.
20	20	SECTION 2. Section 29.153(b), Education Code, is amended to
21	21	read as follows:
22	22	(b) A child is eligible for enrollment in a prekindergarten
23	23	class under this section if the child is at least three years of age
24	24	and:
25	25	(1) is unable to speak and comprehend the English
26	26	language;
27	27	(2) is educationally disadvantaged;
28	28	(3) is homeless, regardless of the residence of the
29	29	child, of either parent of the child, or of the child's guardian or
30	30	other person having lawful control of the child;
31	31	(4) is the child of an active duty member of the armed
32	32	forces of the United States, including the state military forces or
33	33	a reserve component of the armed forces, who is ordered to active
34	34	duty by proper authority;
35	35	(5) is the child of a member of the armed forces of the
36	36	United States, including the state military forces or a reserve
37	37	component of the armed forces, who was injured or killed while
38	38	serving on active duty;
39	39	(6) is or ever has been in:
40	40	(A) the conservatorship of the Department of
41	41	Family and Protective Services following an adversary hearing held
42	42	as provided by Section 262.201, Family Code; or
43	43	(B) foster care in another state or territory, if
44	44	the child resides in this state; [or]
45	45	(7) is the child of a person eligible for the Star of
46	46	Texas Award as:
47	47	(A) a peace officer under Section 3106.002,
48	48	Government Code;
49	49	(B) a firefighter under Section 3106.003,
50	50	Government Code; or
51	51	(C) an emergency medical first responder under
52	52	Section 3106.004, Government Code; or
53	53	(8) is the child of a classroom teacher.
54	54	SECTION 3. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
55	55	Subchapter M-1 to read as follows:
56	56	SUBCHAPTER M-1. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN TEACHER LOANS
57	57	Sec. 61.715. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "classroom
58	58	teacher" has the meaning assigned by Section 5.001.
59	59	Sec. 61.716. LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE AUTHORIZED. The
60	60	board shall provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board
61	61	rules, assistance in the repayment of student loans for eligible
62	62	classroom teachers.
63	63	Sec. 61.717. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive loan
64	64	repayment assistance under this subchapter, a person must:
65	65	(1) submit to the board, in the manner prescribed by
66	66	the board, an application that includes a statement of the total
67	67	amount of principal, accrued interest, fees, and other charges due
68	68	on all outstanding eligible loans for which the person is applying
69	69	for repayment assistance;
70	70	(2) be currently employed as a classroom teacher; and
71	71	(3) have completed at least five years of employment
72	72	as a classroom teacher.
73	73	Sec. 61.718. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY. After initially
74	74	qualifying for loan repayment assistance under Section 61.717, a
75	75	person may continue to receive loan repayment assistance in a
76	76	subsequent year only if the person is employed as a classroom
77	77	teacher for that year.
78	78	Sec. 61.719. ELIGIBLE LOANS. The board may provide loan
79	79	repayment assistance under this subchapter for the repayment of any
80	80	student loan received by an eligible person through any lender for:
81	81	(1) education at an institution of higher education;
82	82	or
83	83	(2) an alternative teacher certification program in
84	84	this state.
85	85	Sec. 61.720. AWARD AMOUNT. An eligible classroom teacher
86	86	is entitled to receive an annual amount of loan repayment
87	87	assistance payments under this subchapter payable to the holders of
88	88	the teacher's eligible loans equal to the following percentage of
89	89	the total amount stated in the teacher's application under Section
90	90	61.717:
91	91	(1) for the first year the teacher receives loan
92	92	repayment assistance:
93	93	(A) 50 percent; or
94	94	(B) if the teacher is employed at a campus
95	95	assigned an overall performance rating of F under Section 39.054
96	96	for the preceding school year, 70 percent;
97	97	(2) for the second year the teacher receives loan
98	98	repayment assistance, 30 percent; and
99	99	(3) if any amount remains, for the third year the
100	100	teacher receives loan repayment assistance, 20 percent.
101	101	Sec. 61.721. REPAYMENT. (a) The board shall pay any loan
102	102	repayment assistance under this subchapter in a lump sum delivered
103	103	on the classroom teacher's behalf directly to the holder of the
104	104	loan.
105	105	(b) A repayment under this subchapter may be applied to any
106	106	amount due in connection with the loan.
107	107	Sec. 61.722. RULES. The board shall adopt rules necessary
108	108	for the administration of this subchapter.
109	109	SECTION 4. Section 29.153(b), Education Code, as amended by
110	110	this Act, applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.
111	111	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
112	112	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
113	113	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
114	114	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
115	115	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.