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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to educator preparation programs and teacher |
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certification examinations. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.0441, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) Rules of the board proposed under this subchapter must |
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provide that a person, other than a person seeking career and |
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technology education certification, is not eligible for admission |
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to an educator preparation program, including an alternative |
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educator preparation program, unless the person: |
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(1) except as provided by Subsection (b), satisfies |
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the following minimum grade point average requirements [prescribed
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by the board, not to exceed the following]: |
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(A) an overall grade point average of at least |
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2.50 [2.75] on a four-point scale or the equivalent on any course |
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work previously attempted at a public or private institution of |
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higher education; or |
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(B) a grade point average of at least 2.50 [2.75] |
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on a four-point scale or the equivalent for the last 60 semester |
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credit hours attempted at a public or private institution of higher |
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education; and |
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(2) if the person is seeking initial certification: |
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(A) has successfully completed at least: |
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(i) 15 semester credit hours in the |
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subject-specific content area in which the person is seeking |
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certification, if the person is seeking certification to teach |
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mathematics or science at or above grade level seven; or |
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(ii) 12 semester credit hours in the |
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subject-specific content area in which the person is seeking |
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certification, if the person is not seeking certification to teach |
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mathematics or science at or above grade level seven; or |
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(B) has achieved a satisfactory level of |
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performance on a content certification examination, which may be a |
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content certification examination administered by a vendor |
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approved by the commissioner for purposes of administering such an |
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examination for the year for which the person is applying for |
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admission to the program. |
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(c) The overall grade point average of each incoming class |
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admitted by an educator preparation program, including an |
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alternative educator preparation program, may not be less than 3.00 |
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on a four-point scale or the equivalent or a higher overall grade |
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point average prescribed by the board. In computing the overall |
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grade point average of an incoming class for purposes of this |
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subsection, a program may: |
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(1) include the grade point average of each person in |
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the incoming class based on all course work previously attempted by |
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the person at a public or private institution of higher education; |
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or |
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(2) include the grade point average of each person in |
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the incoming class based only on the last 60 semester credit hours |
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attempted by the person at a public or private institution of higher |
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education. |
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(d) A person seeking career and technology education |
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certification is not included in determining the overall grade |
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point average of an incoming class under Subsection (c). |
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SECTION 2. Section 21.045(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Each educator preparation program shall submit data |
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elements as required by the board for an annual performance report |
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to ensure access and equity. At a minimum, the annual report must |
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contain: |
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(1) the performance data from Subsection (a), other |
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than the data required for purposes of Subsection (a)(3), and the |
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following information, disaggregated by sex and ethnicity: |
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(A) [(1)] the number of candidates who apply; |
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(B) [(2)] the number of candidates admitted; |
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(C) [(3)] the number of candidates retained; |
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(D) [(4)] the number of candidates completing |
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the program; |
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(E) [(5)] the number of candidates employed as |
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beginning teachers under standard teaching certificates by not |
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later than the first anniversary of [in the profession after] |
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completing the program; |
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(F) the amount of time required by candidates |
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employed as beginning teachers under probationary teaching |
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certificates to be issued standard teaching certificates; |
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(G) [(6)] the number of candidates retained in |
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the profession; and |
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(H) [(7)] any other information required by |
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federal law; |
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(2) the ratio of field supervisors to candidates |
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completing student teaching, clinical teaching, or an internship; |
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and |
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(3) any other information necessary to enable the |
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board to assess the effectiveness of the program on the basis of |
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teacher retention and success criteria adopted by the board. |
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SECTION 3. Section 21.048, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a-1) and (c-1) and adding Subsection (a-2) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a-1) The board may not require that more than 45 days |
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elapse before a person may retake an examination. A person may not |
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retake an examination more than four times, unless the board waives |
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the limitation for good cause as prescribed by the board. |
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(a-2) For purposes of the limitation imposed by Subsection |
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(a-1) on the number of administrations of an examination, a person |
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who initially took an examination before September 1, 2015, may |
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retake the examination up to four times after that date, regardless |
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of the number of times that the person attempted to perform |
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satisfactorily on the examination before that date. This |
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subsection expires September 1, 2018. |
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(c-1) The results of an examination administered under this |
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section are confidential and are not subject to disclosure under |
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Chapter 552, Government Code, unless[:
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[(1)] the disclosure is regarding notification to a |
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parent of the assignment of an uncertified teacher to a classroom as |
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required by Section 21.057[; or
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[(2)
the educator has failed the examination more than
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five times]. |
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SECTION 4. Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Board |
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for Educator Certification shall develop criteria for evaluation of |
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educator preparation programs based on teacher retention and |
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success as required by Section 21.045(b)(3), Education Code, as |
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added by this Act. The State Board for Educator Certification shall |
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consult with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in |
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developing the criteria, and the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board shall participate and provide recommendations |
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regarding the criteria. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |