Bill Text: TX HB1582 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to authorization for the operation in certain counties of an educator preparation program with an internship program component.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-03-03 - Referred to Public Education [HB1582 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-HB1582-Introduced.html

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82R5953 PAM-D
By: Farias H.B. No. 1582

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to authorization for the operation in certain counties of
an educator preparation program with an internship program
component.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter P to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER P. EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM WITH INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
COMPONENT IN CERTAIN COUNTIES
Sec. 21.801. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "institution
of higher education" means a public senior college or university,
as defined by Section 61.003, or a private or independent
institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003.
Sec. 21.802. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only
to:
(1) a school district located wholly or partly in a
county with a population of one million or more and in which more
than 80 percent of the population resides in a single municipality;
and
(2) an institution of higher education located wholly
or partly in a county described by Subdivision (1).
Sec. 21.803. EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM WITH INTERNSHIP
PROGRAM COMPONENT. As provided by this subchapter, an institution
of higher education may operate a graduate level educator
preparation program that includes, in collaboration with one or
more school districts, an internship program component.
Sec. 21.804. APPROVAL FOR PROGRAM. (a) The State Board for
Educator Certification shall propose rules, consistent with this
subchapter, establishing the standards governing the approval of an
educator preparation program with an internship program component.
(b) In proposing rules under Subsection (a), the State Board
for Educator Certification shall require an institution of higher
education to submit with an application a proposal with evidence of
the institution's collaboration with one or more school districts
to create an educator preparation program curriculum with an
internship program component that is responsive to the needs of
those districts. The proposal must include the following regarding
the educator preparation program:
(1) a curriculum;
(2) criteria for admission;
(3) a description of program delivery and evaluation;
(4) an internship program component, including:
(A) a general description of the internship
program;
(B) selection criteria for mentor teachers for
interns;
(C) a description of support and communication
among interns, mentor teachers, collaborating school districts,
and the educator preparation program;
(D) a description of intern supervision; and
(E) a description of the manner in which interns
are evaluated; and
(5) a plan to provide to program students for the
duration of the program educational and professional support
through seminars and professional development opportunities.
(c) The agency staff shall review and, as appropriate,
recommend to the State Board for Educator Certification whether an
application and proposal should be approved.
Sec. 21.805. INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS. (a) A student
enrolled in an educator preparation program under this subchapter
may not begin the internship program component before completing
the field-based experience required by State Board for Educator
Certification rule.
(b) The educator preparation program shall facilitate a
one-year paid internship contract between a program student and a
collaborating school district. The student and the district shall
negotiate the salary and benefits under the contract.
(c) The educator preparation program shall conduct
evaluations of each intern's professional development at the end of
each semester to ensure that the intern is making satisfactory
progress toward full educator certification.
(d) As part of the internship program, the intern must apply
for a probationary educator certificate. The educator preparation
program shall assist the intern in submitting an application for a
probationary certificate.
(e) As part of the internship program, the collaborating
school district shall assign a mentor teacher to the intern. During
the internship, the intern shall observe the mentor teacher
providing instruction to students for at least two hours at least
twice each semester, and the mentor teacher shall observe the
intern providing instruction to students for at least two hours at
least twice each semester.
(f) The educator preparation program shall maintain all
records verifying the intern's professional development,
evaluations of performance, and documentation relating to educator
certification.
Sec. 21.806. POST-INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS. The educator
preparation program shall, after a student has successfully
completed all educator preparation program requirements, including
the internship program, recommend, in conjunction with the
collaborating school district, the student to the State Board for
Educator Certification for appropriate educator certification.
Sec. 21.807. ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF INSTITUTION OF
HIGHER EDUCATION UNDER PROGRAM. In addition to providing direct
educator preparation program services to program students, the
institution of higher education providing the educator preparation
program shall provide:
(1) an orientation for administrators of
collaborating school districts regarding district responsibilities
to supervise, support, and evaluate the professional development of
interns;
(2) mentor training to district mentor teachers
assigned to interns; and
(3) an orientation for educators of collaborating
districts and program students regarding applicable State Board for
Educator Certification rules.
Sec. 21.808. RESPONSIBILITIES OF COLLABORATING SCHOOL
DISTRICTS. A school district that collaborates with an institution
of higher education to offer an educator preparation program under
this subchapter shall:
(1) make available one-year paid internship contracts
for interns in the program;
(2) recruit mentor teachers to assign to interns
employed by the district;
(3) supervise, support, and evaluate the professional
development of the intern during the intern's internship with the
district; and
(4) to the extent money is appropriated for the
purpose, pay a stipend to a mentor teacher at the end of each
semester that the teacher serves as a mentor teacher to an intern.
Sec. 21.809. EXAMINATION. (a) After a student's
completion of an educator preparation program under this
subchapter, the student shall complete at least two practice
educator certification examinations.
(b) A student is not required to complete more than two
practice examinations if the candidate completes a practice
examination with a minimum score of 80 percent.
Sec. 21.810. The State Board for Educator Certification
shall propose rules as necessary for the administration of this
subchapter.
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2012, the State Board
for Educator Certification shall propose rules as necessary
relating to an educator preparation program with an internship
program component as described by Subchapter P, Chapter 21,
Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. 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, 2011.