HBA-LCA H.B. 3487 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3487
By: Dunnam
Public Education
4/17/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Section 21.050, Education Code (Academic Degree Required For Teaching
Certification; Internship), requires all classroom teachers to hold a
bachelor's degree, with a major other than education, that is related to
the curriculum as prescribed under Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code
(Essential Knowledge and Skills; Curriculum).  However, there is no
requirement that a classroom teacher perform instruction only in areas in
which he or she is qualified to teach.   

H.B. 3487 amends Chapter 21, Education Code (Educators), to require each
school district to implement a plan by which each classroom teacher is
certified within his or her area of knowledge. The plan, which each school
district will have five years to develop and implement, may allow for the
use of short-term, uncertified substitute teachers. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding
Section 21.057, as follows: 

Sec. 21.057.  PLAN FOR CERTIFIED TEACHERS.  (a)  Requires each school
district (district) to develop and implement a plan to enable the district
to, at the end of a five-year period, employ as a teacher only a person who
holds a certificate issued under this subchapter (Certification of
Educators) and the appropriate certificate issued under this subchapter for
each class or course the person teaches. 

(b)  Authorizes a district plan to provide for the use, on a short-term
basis, of substitute teachers who do not hold a certificate issued under
this subchapter. 

(c)  Provides that this section expires September 1, 2006.

SECTION 2.  Requires each district to implement a plan under Section
21.057, Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than September 1,
2000. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 4.  Emergency clause.