S.B. No. 1309
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a Junior Reserve Officer Training
  Corps teaching certificate and eligibility of such certified
  teacher for other educator certification.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 21.0487 to read as follows:
         Sec. 21.0487.  JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORPS TEACHER
  CERTIFICATION. (a)  The board shall establish a standard Junior
  Reserve Officer Training Corps teaching certificate to provide
  Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instruction.
         (b)  To be eligible for a certificate under this section, a
  person must:
               (1)  hold a bachelor's degree from an institution of
  higher education that is, and at the time the person received the
  degree was, accredited or otherwise approved by an accrediting
  organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board;
               (2)  satisfy the eligibility and testing requirements
  for certification as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps
  instructor established by the branch of service in which the person
  served; and
               (3)  complete an approved educator preparation
  program.
         (c)  The board shall propose rules to:
               (1)  approve educator preparation programs to prepare a
  person as a teacher for certification under this section; and
               (2)  establish requirements under which:
                     (A)  a person's training and experience acquired
  during the person's military service serves as proof of the person's
  demonstration of subject matter knowledge if that training and
  experience is verified by the branch of service in which the person
  served; and
                     (B)  a person's employment by a school district as
  a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor before the
  person was enrolled in an educator preparation program or while the
  person is enrolled in an educator preparation program is applied to
  satisfy any student teaching, internship, or field-based
  experience program requirement.
         (d)  A person is not required to hold a certificate
  established under this section to be employed by a school district
  as a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps instructor.
         SECTION 2.  Section 21.046, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
         (e)  For purposes of satisfying eligibility requirements for
  certification as a principal, a teacher who is certified under
  Section 21.0487:
               (1)  is considered to hold a classroom teaching
  certificate; and
               (2)  may apply as creditable years of teaching
  experience as a classroom teacher any period during which the
  teacher was employed by a school district as a Junior Reserve
  Officer Training Corps instructor before or after the teacher was
  certified under Section 21.0487.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than January 1, 2016, the State Board
  for Educator Certification shall propose rules relating to the
  establishment of a Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps teaching
  certificate as provided by Section 21.0487, Education Code, as
  added by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  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, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1309 passed the Senate on
  April 30, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 30, 2015, by the
  following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1309 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 143,
  Nays 1, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor