Bill Text: TX SB1839 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the preparation, certification, and classification of and professional development for public school educators.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-12 - Effective immediately [SB1839 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB1839-Enrolled.html
S.B. No. 1839 |
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relating to the preparation, certification, and classification of | ||
and professional development for public school educators. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 21.001, Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 21.001. DEFINITIONS [ |
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(1) "Commissioner"[ |
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person designated by the commissioner. | ||
(2) "Digital learning" means any type of learning that | ||
is facilitated by technology or instructional practice that makes | ||
effective use of technology. | ||
(3) "Digital literacy" means having the knowledge and | ||
ability to use a range of technology tools for varied purposes. The | ||
term includes the capacity to use, understand, and evaluate | ||
technology for use in education settings. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 21.043, Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 21.043. ACCESS TO PEIMS DATA. (a) The agency shall | ||
provide the board with access to data obtained under the Public | ||
Education Information Management System (PEIMS). | ||
(b) The agency shall provide educator preparation programs | ||
with data based on information reported through the Public | ||
Education Information Management System (PEIMS) that enables an | ||
educator preparation program to: | ||
(1) assess the impact of the program; and | ||
(2) revise the program as needed to improve the design | ||
and effectiveness of the program. | ||
(c) The agency in coordination with the board shall solicit | ||
input from educator preparation programs to determine the data to | ||
be provided to educator preparation programs. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsections (c-2) and (f-1) to read as follows: | ||
(c-2) Any minimum academic qualifications for a certificate | ||
specified under Subsection (a) that require a person to possess a | ||
bachelor's degree must also require that the person receive, as | ||
part of the training required to obtain that certificate, | ||
instruction in digital learning, including a digital literacy | ||
evaluation followed by a prescribed digital learning curriculum. | ||
The instruction required must: | ||
(1) be aligned with the International Society for | ||
Technology in Education's standards for teachers; | ||
(2) provide effective, evidence-based strategies to | ||
determine a person's degree of digital literacy; and | ||
(3) include resources to address any deficiencies | ||
identified by the digital literacy evaluation. | ||
(f-1) Board rules addressing ongoing educator preparation | ||
program support for a candidate seeking certification in a | ||
certification class other than classroom teacher may not require | ||
that an educator preparation program conduct one or more formal | ||
observations of the candidate on the candidate's site in a | ||
face-to-face setting. The rules must permit each required formal | ||
observation to occur on the candidate's site or through use of | ||
electronic transmission or other video-based or technology-based | ||
method. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 21.045, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: | ||
(d) To assist an educator preparation program in improving | ||
the design and effectiveness of the program in preparing educators | ||
for the classroom, the agency shall provide to each program data | ||
that is compiled and analyzed by the agency based on information | ||
reported through the Public Education Information Management | ||
System (PEIMS) relating to the program. | ||
SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 21.0489 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 21.0489. EARLY CHILDHOOD CERTIFICATION. (a) To | ||
ensure that there are teachers with special training in early | ||
childhood education focusing on prekindergarten through grade | ||
three, the board shall establish an early childhood certificate. | ||
(b) A person is not required to hold a certificate | ||
established under this section to be employed by a school district | ||
to provide instruction in prekindergarten through grade three. | ||
(c) To be eligible for a certificate established under this | ||
section, a person must: | ||
(1) either: | ||
(A) satisfactorily complete the course work for | ||
that certificate in an educator preparation program, including a | ||
knowledge-based and skills-based course of instruction on early | ||
childhood education that includes: | ||
(i) teaching methods for: | ||
(a) using small group instructional | ||
formats that focus on building social, emotional, and academic | ||
skills; | ||
(b) navigating multiple content | ||
areas; and | ||
(c) managing a classroom environment | ||
in which small groups of students are working on different tasks; | ||
and | ||
(ii) strategies for teaching fundamental | ||
academic skills, including reading, writing, and numeracy; or | ||
(B) hold an early childhood through grade six | ||
certificate issued under this subchapter and satisfactorily | ||
complete a course of instruction described by Paragraph (A); | ||
(2) perform satisfactorily on an early childhood | ||
certificate examination prescribed by the board; and | ||
(3) satisfy any other requirements prescribed by the | ||
board. | ||
(d) The criteria for the course of instruction described by | ||
Subsection (c)(1)(A) shall be developed by the board in | ||
consultation with faculty members who provide instruction at | ||
institutions of higher education in educator preparation programs | ||
for an early childhood through grade six certificate. | ||
SECTION 6. Section 21.051, Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(b) Before a school district may employ a candidate for | ||
certification as a teacher of record and, except as provided by | ||
Subsection (b-1), after the candidate's admission to an educator | ||
preparation program, the candidate must complete at least 15 hours | ||
of field-based experience in which the candidate is actively | ||
engaged in instructional or educational activities under | ||
supervision at: | ||
(1) a public school campus accredited or approved for | ||
the purpose by the agency; or | ||
(2) a private school recognized or approved for the | ||
purpose by the agency. | ||
(b-1) A candidate may satisfy up to 15 hours of the | ||
field-based experience requirement under Subsection (b) by serving | ||
as a long-term substitute teacher as prescribed by board rule. | ||
Experience under this subsection may occur after the candidate's | ||
admission to an educator preparation program or during the two | ||
years before the date the candidate is admitted to the program. The | ||
candidate's experience in instructional or educational activities | ||
must be documented by the educator preparation program and must be | ||
obtained at: | ||
(1) a public school campus accredited or approved for | ||
the purpose by the agency; or | ||
(2) a private school recognized or approved for the | ||
purpose by the agency. | ||
SECTION 7. Section 21.052, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (e) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(a-1) The commissioner may adopt rules establishing | ||
exceptions to the examination requirements prescribed by | ||
Subsection (a)(3) for an educator from outside the state to obtain a | ||
certificate in this state. | ||
(e) An educator who has submitted all documents required by | ||
the board for certification and who receives a temporary | ||
certificate as provided by Subsection (c) [ |
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satisfactorily on the examination prescribed under Section 21.048 | ||
not later than the first anniversary of the date the board completes | ||
the review of the educator's credentials and informs the educator | ||
of the examination or examinations under Section 21.048 on which | ||
the educator must perform successfully to receive a standard | ||
certificate. | ||
SECTION 8. Sections 21.054(d) and (e), Education Code, are | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(d) Continuing education requirements for a classroom | ||
teacher must provide that not more than 25 percent of the training | ||
required every five years include instruction regarding: | ||
(1) collecting and analyzing information that will | ||
improve effectiveness in the classroom; | ||
(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a | ||
student may be at risk of dropping out of school; | ||
(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and | ||
integrating technology into classroom instruction; and | ||
(4) educating diverse student populations, including: | ||
(A) students with disabilities, including mental | ||
health disorders; | ||
(B) students who are educationally | ||
disadvantaged; | ||
(C) students of limited English proficiency; and | ||
(D) students at risk of dropping out of school. | ||
(e) Continuing education requirements for a principal must | ||
provide that not more than 25 percent of the training required every | ||
five years include instruction regarding: | ||
(1) effective and efficient management, including: | ||
(A) collecting and analyzing information; | ||
(B) making decisions and managing time; and | ||
(C) supervising student discipline and managing | ||
behavior; | ||
(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a | ||
student may be at risk of dropping out of school; | ||
(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and | ||
integrating technology into campus curriculum and instruction; and | ||
(4) educating diverse student populations, including: | ||
(A) students with disabilities, including mental | ||
health disorders; | ||
(B) students who are educationally | ||
disadvantaged; | ||
(C) students of limited English proficiency; and | ||
(D) students at risk of dropping out of school. | ||
SECTION 9. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 21.0543 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 21.0543. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR INSTRUCTION | ||
RELATED TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. The board shall propose rules | ||
allowing an educator to receive credit toward the educator's | ||
continuing education requirements for completion of education | ||
courses that: | ||
(1) use technology to increase the educator's digital | ||
literacy; and | ||
(2) assist the educator in the use of digital | ||
technology in learning activities that improve teaching, | ||
assessment, and instructional practices. | ||
SECTION 10. Section 21.451, Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-3) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(d) The staff development: | ||
(1) may include training in: | ||
(A) technology; | ||
(B) conflict resolution; | ||
(C) discipline strategies, including classroom | ||
management, district discipline policies, and the student code of | ||
conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37; [ |
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(D) preventing, identifying, responding to, and | ||
reporting incidents of bullying; and | ||
(E) digital learning; | ||
(2) subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541 | ||
and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is | ||
evidence-based [ |
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defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds Act [ |
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(A) relates to instruction of students with | ||
disabilities; and | ||
(B) is designed for educators who work primarily | ||
outside the area of special education; and | ||
(3) must include suicide prevention training that must | ||
be provided: | ||
(A) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee | ||
orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter | ||
school educators; and | ||
(B) to existing school district and | ||
open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by | ||
the agency by rule. | ||
(d-3) The digital learning training provided by Subsection | ||
(d)(1)(E) must: | ||
(1) discuss basic technology proficiency expectations | ||
and methods to increase an educator's digital literacy; and | ||
(2) assist an educator in the use of digital | ||
technology in learning activities that improve teaching, | ||
assessment, and instructional practices. | ||
SECTION 11. Section 30A.112(b), Education Code, is amended | ||
to read as follows: | ||
(b) The state virtual school network may provide or | ||
authorize providers of electronic professional development courses | ||
to provide professional development for: | ||
(1) teachers who are teaching subjects or grade levels | ||
for which the teachers are not certified; or | ||
(2) [ |
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 | ||
et seq.). | ||
SECTION 12. The following provisions of the Education Code | ||
are repealed: | ||
(1) Section 21.005; and | ||
(2) Section 21.052(g). | ||
SECTION 13. The State Board for Educator Certification | ||
shall propose rules: | ||
(1) establishing requirements and prescribing an | ||
examination for an early childhood certificate examination as | ||
required by Section 21.0489, Education Code, as added by this Act; | ||
and | ||
(2) establishing standards to govern the approval and | ||
renewal of approval of educator preparation programs for early | ||
childhood certification. | ||
SECTION 14. The commissioner of education is required to | ||
implement Sections 21.043(b) and (c) and 21.045(d), Education Code, | ||
as added by this Act, only if the legislature appropriates money | ||
specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not | ||
appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the commissioner | ||
of education may, but is not required to, implement those sections | ||
using other appropriations available for the purpose. | ||
SECTION 15. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 | ||
school year. | ||
SECTION 16. This Act takes effect immediately if it | ||
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each | ||
house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. | ||
If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate | ||
effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1839 passed the Senate on | ||
May 4, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; May 25, 2017, | ||
Senate refused to concur in House amendments and requested | ||
appointment of Conference Committee; May 26, 2017, House granted | ||
request of the Senate; May 28, 2017, Senate adopted Conference | ||
Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 1. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1839 passed the House, with | ||
amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 137, | ||
Nays 7, one present not voting; May 26, 2017, House granted request | ||
of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee; | ||
May 28, 2017, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the | ||
following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 8, two present not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
Approved: | ||
______________________________ | ||
Date | ||
______________________________ | ||
Governor |