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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to staff development and continuing education |
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requirements for public school educators regarding digital |
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education methods. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 21.001, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.001. DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Commissioner" [, "commissioner"] includes a |
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person designated by the commissioner. |
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(2) "Digital learning" means any type of learning that |
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is facilitated by technology or instructional practice that makes |
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effective use of technology. |
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(3) "Digital literacy" means having the knowledge and |
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ability to use a range of technology tools for varied purposes. The |
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term includes the capacity to use, understand, and evaluate |
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technology for use in education settings. |
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SECTION 2. Section 21.044, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-2) to read as follows: |
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(c-2) Any minimum academic qualifications for a certificate |
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specified under Subsection (a) that require a person to possess a |
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bachelor's degree must also require that the person receive, as |
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part of the training required to obtain that certificate, |
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instruction in digital learning, including a digital literacy |
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evaluation followed by a prescribed digital learning curriculum. |
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The instruction required must: |
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(1) be aligned with the International Society for |
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Technology in Education's standards for teachers; |
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(2) provide effective, evidence-based strategies to |
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determine a person's degree of digital literacy; and |
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(3) include resources to address any deficiencies |
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identified by the digital literacy evaluation. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 21.054(d) and (e), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) Continuing education requirements for a classroom |
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teacher must provide that not more than 25 percent of the training |
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required every five years include instruction regarding: |
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(1) collecting and analyzing information that will |
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improve effectiveness in the classroom; |
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(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a |
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student may be at risk of dropping out of school; |
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(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and |
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integrating technology into classroom instruction; and |
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(4) educating diverse student populations, including: |
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(A) students with disabilities, including mental |
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health disorders; |
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(B) students who are educationally |
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disadvantaged; |
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(C) students of limited English proficiency; and |
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(D) students at risk of dropping out of school. |
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(e) Continuing education requirements for a principal must |
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provide that not more than 25 percent of the training required every |
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five years include instruction regarding: |
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(1) effective and efficient management, including: |
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(A) collecting and analyzing information; |
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(B) making decisions and managing time; and |
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(C) supervising student discipline and managing |
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behavior; |
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(2) recognizing early warning indicators that a |
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student may be at risk of dropping out of school; |
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(3) digital learning, digital teaching, and |
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integrating technology into campus curriculum and instruction; and |
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(4) educating diverse student populations, including: |
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(A) students with disabilities, including mental |
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health disorders; |
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(B) students who are educationally |
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disadvantaged; |
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(C) students of limited English proficiency; and |
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(D) students at risk of dropping out of school. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 21.0543 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 21.0543. CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR INSTRUCTION |
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RELATED TO DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY. The board shall propose rules |
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allowing an educator to receive credit toward the educator's |
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continuing education requirements for completion of education |
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courses that: |
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(1) use technology to increase the educator's digital |
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literacy; and |
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(2) assist the educator in the use of digital |
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technology in learning activities that improve teaching, |
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assessment, and instructional practices. |
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SECTION 5. Section 21.451, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-3) to read as |
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follows: |
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(d) The staff development: |
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(1) may include training in: |
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(A) technology; |
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(B) conflict resolution; |
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(C) discipline strategies, including classroom |
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management, district discipline policies, and the student code of |
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conduct adopted under Section 37.001 and Chapter 37; [and] |
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(D) preventing, identifying, responding to, and |
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reporting incidents of bullying; and |
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(E) digital learning; |
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(2) subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541 |
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and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is |
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evidence-based [based on scientifically based research], as |
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defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds Act [9101, No Child
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Left Behind Act of 2001] (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), that: |
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(A) relates to instruction of students with |
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disabilities; and |
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(B) is designed for educators who work primarily |
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outside the area of special education; and |
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(3) must include suicide prevention training that must |
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be provided: |
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(A) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee |
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orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter |
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school educators; and |
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(B) to existing school district and |
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open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by |
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the agency by rule. |
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(d-3) The digital learning training provided by Subsection |
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(d)(1)(E) must: |
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(1) discuss basic technology proficiency expectations |
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and methods to increase an educator's digital literacy; and |
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(2) assist an educator in the use of digital |
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technology in learning activities that improve teaching, |
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assessment, and instructional practices. |
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SECTION 6. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |