Bill Text: TX SB2050 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to staff development and continuing education requirements for public school educators regarding digital education methods.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-28 - Referred to Education [SB2050 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-SB2050-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Taylor of Galveston S.B. No. 2050
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to staff development and continuing education
  requirements for public school educators regarding digital
  education methods.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c-2) 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.
         SECTION 2.  Section 21.054, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (d) and (e) and adding Subsection (h) 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 3.  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. (a) 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 4.  Section 21.451, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as
  follows:
         (b-1)  The staff development described 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.
         (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; [and]
                     (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 [based on scientifically based research], as
  defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds Act [9101, No Child
  Left Behind Act of 2001] (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that:
                     (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.
         SECTION 5.  This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018
  school year.
         SECTION 6.  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.
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