BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 1178 By: Cunningham Public Education Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that while Texas is facing a teacher shortage crisis, educators certified out of state cannot begin teaching until they have met Texas' examination and certification requirements. The bill author has also informed the committee that this can be a lengthy process, leaving these educators without work and keeping them from providing a quality education to Texas students. H.B. 1178 seeks to address this issue by providing for the immediate issuance of a one-year temporary educator certificate to out-of-state educators who apply for certification in Texas. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board for Educator Certification in SECTION 1 of this bill. ANALYSIS H.B. 1178 repeals certain Education Code provisions relating to the temporary certificates issued to certain educators certified by another state and amends the Education Code to instead require the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to create a temporary certificate for educators certified by other states and to immediately issue such a certificate to a person who applies for permanent certification and meets the following eligibility requirements for the temporary certificate: holds a valid, unexpired, non-temporary certificate or similar credential in another state that qualifies the person to be employed as an educator in that state; and holds a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education that is, and at the time the person received the degree was, accredited. The bill authorizes the SBEC to rescind a temporary certificate issued to a person if the SBEC determines as a result of a review of the person's credentials that the person does not meet the eligibility requirements. H.B. 1178 prohibits the temporary certificate from being reissued or renewed and establishes that the certificate expires on one of the following dates: on the earlier of either the first anniversary of the date the certificate was issued or the date the person is issued a certification of educators from outside Texas; or for an educator who is the spouse of a person serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. armed forces, the third anniversary of the date the certificate was issued, or a later date specified by SBEC rule. For purpose of the bill's provisions, U.S. armed forces means the army, navy, air force, space force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed forces, and active duty means current full-time military service in those forces. H.B. 1178 requires the SBEC to adopt rules necessary to implement the temporary certification as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date. H.B. 1178 repeals Sections 21.052(c), (d), (d-1), and (e), Education Code, relating to temporary certifications for educators from outside Texas. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 1178
By: Cunningham
Public Education
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 1178
By: Cunningham
Public Education
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that while Texas is facing a teacher shortage crisis, educators certified out of state cannot begin teaching until they have met Texas' examination and certification requirements. The bill author has also informed the committee that this can be a lengthy process, leaving these educators without work and keeping them from providing a quality education to Texas students. H.B. 1178 seeks to address this issue by providing for the immediate issuance of a one-year temporary educator certificate to out-of-state educators who apply for certification in Texas.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board for Educator Certification in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS H.B. 1178 repeals certain Education Code provisions relating to the temporary certificates issued to certain educators certified by another state and amends the Education Code to instead require the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to create a temporary certificate for educators certified by other states and to immediately issue such a certificate to a person who applies for permanent certification and meets the following eligibility requirements for the temporary certificate: holds a valid, unexpired, non-temporary certificate or similar credential in another state that qualifies the person to be employed as an educator in that state; and holds a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education that is, and at the time the person received the degree was, accredited. The bill authorizes the SBEC to rescind a temporary certificate issued to a person if the SBEC determines as a result of a review of the person's credentials that the person does not meet the eligibility requirements. H.B. 1178 prohibits the temporary certificate from being reissued or renewed and establishes that the certificate expires on one of the following dates: on the earlier of either the first anniversary of the date the certificate was issued or the date the person is issued a certification of educators from outside Texas; or for an educator who is the spouse of a person serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. armed forces, the third anniversary of the date the certificate was issued, or a later date specified by SBEC rule. For purpose of the bill's provisions, U.S. armed forces means the army, navy, air force, space force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed forces, and active duty means current full-time military service in those forces. H.B. 1178 requires the SBEC to adopt rules necessary to implement the temporary certification as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date. H.B. 1178 repeals Sections 21.052(c), (d), (d-1), and (e), Education Code, relating to temporary certifications for educators from outside Texas.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill author has informed the committee that while Texas is facing a teacher shortage crisis, educators certified out of state cannot begin teaching until they have met Texas' examination and certification requirements. The bill author has also informed the committee that this can be a lengthy process, leaving these educators without work and keeping them from providing a quality education to Texas students. H.B. 1178 seeks to address this issue by providing for the immediate issuance of a one-year temporary educator certificate to out-of-state educators who apply for certification in Texas.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the State Board for Educator Certification in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 1178 repeals certain Education Code provisions relating to the temporary certificates issued to certain educators certified by another state and amends the Education Code to instead require the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to create a temporary certificate for educators certified by other states and to immediately issue such a certificate to a person who applies for permanent certification and meets the following eligibility requirements for the temporary certificate:
holds a valid, unexpired, non-temporary certificate or similar credential in another state that qualifies the person to be employed as an educator in that state; and
holds a bachelor's degree from an institution of higher education that is, and at the time the person received the degree was, accredited.
The bill authorizes the SBEC to rescind a temporary certificate issued to a person if the SBEC determines as a result of a review of the person's credentials that the person does not meet the eligibility requirements.
H.B. 1178 prohibits the temporary certificate from being reissued or renewed and establishes that the certificate expires on one of the following dates:
on the earlier of either the first anniversary of the date the certificate was issued or the date the person is issued a certification of educators from outside Texas; or
for an educator who is the spouse of a person serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. armed forces, the third anniversary of the date the certificate was issued, or a later date specified by SBEC rule.
For purpose of the bill's provisions, U.S. armed forces means the army, navy, air force, space force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed forces, and active duty means current full-time military service in those forces.
H.B. 1178 requires the SBEC to adopt rules necessary to implement the temporary certification as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date.
H.B. 1178 repeals Sections 21.052(c), (d), (d-1), and (e), Education Code, relating to temporary certifications for educators from outside Texas.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.