HB2780 - Relating to the creation of the Texas Teacher Residency Partnership Program and a residency partnership allotment under the Foundation School Program.

  89R11460 PRL-D     By: Dutton H.B. No. 2780       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the creation of the Texas Teacher Residency Partnership   Program and a residency partnership allotment under the Foundation   School Program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter R to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER R. TEXAS TEACHER RESIDENCY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM           Sec. 21.821.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:                 (1)     "Board" means the State Board for Educator   Certification.                 (2)  "Mentor teacher" means a classroom teacher who:                       (A)     meets the qualifications for assignment as a   mentor under Section 21.458; and                       (B)     is employed by a school district or   open-enrollment charter school participating in a partnership   program under this subchapter and paired with a partnership   resident at the district or school.                 (3)     "Partnership program" means a Texas Teacher   Residency Partnership Program established at a school district or   open-enrollment charter school in accordance with this subchapter.                 (4)     "Partnership resident" means a person enrolled in   a qualified educator preparation program participating in a   partnership program as a candidate for educator certification.                 (5)     "Qualified educator preparation program" means an   educator preparation program approved in accordance with rules   proposed under Section 21.823.           Sec.   21.822.     ESTABLISHMENT OF PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. (a)   The commissioner shall establish the Texas Teacher Residency   Partnership Program to enable qualified educator preparation   programs to form partnerships with school districts or   open-enrollment charter schools to provide residency positions to   partnership residents at the district or school.           (b)  The partnership program must be designed to:                 (1)     allow partnership residents to receive   field-based experience working with classroom teachers in   prekindergarten through grade 12 classrooms; and                 (2)     gradually increase the amount of time a   partnership resident spends engaging in instructional   responsibilities, including observation, co-teaching, and   lead-teaching responsibilities.           Sec.   21.823.     QUALIFIED EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS. The   board shall propose rules specifying the requirements for board   approval of an educator preparation program as a qualified educator   preparation program for purposes of this subchapter.   The rules   must require an educator preparation program to:                 (1)     use research-based best practices for recruiting   and admitting candidates into the educator preparation program to   participate in the partnership program;                 (2)     integrate curriculum, classroom practice, and   formal observation and feedback;                 (3)     use multiple assessments to measure a partnership   resident's progress in the partnership program; and                 (4)     ensure a school district or open-enrollment   charter school with which an educator preparation program partners   under this subchapter meets the requirements for participating   districts and schools under Section 21.824.           Sec.   21.824.     REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATING DISTRICTS AND   SCHOOLS. (a)   A school district or open-enrollment charter school   participating in the partnership program shall:                 (1)     enter into a written agreement with a qualified   educator preparation program to:                       (A)     provide a partnership resident with at least   one school year of clinical teaching in a residency position at the   district or school in the subject area and grade level for which the   resident seeks certification; and                       (B)     pair the partnership resident with a mentor   teacher;                 (2)  use money received under Section 48.157 only to:                       (A)  implement the partnership program; and                       (B)  provide compensation to:                             (i)     partnership residents in residency   positions at the district or school; and                             (ii)     mentor teachers who are paired with   partnership residents at the district or school;                 (3)     pay at least 50 percent of the compensation paid to   partnership residents using money other than money received under   Section 48.157; and                 (4)     provide any information required by the agency   regarding the district's or school's implementation of the   partnership program.           (b)     A school district or open-enrollment charter school may   pair a partnership resident only with a mentor teacher who agrees to   participate in that role in a partnership program at the district or   school partnership program.           (c)     A partnership resident may not serve as a teacher of   record, as that term is defined by Section 21.051.           Sec.   21.825.     RESIDENCY EDUCATOR CERTIFICATE. The board   shall propose rules specifying the requirements for the issuance of   a residency educator certificate to a partnership resident who has   successfully completed a qualified educator preparation program   under Section 21.823.   The rules may not require the partnership   resident to pass a pedagogy examination unless the examination   tests subject-specific content appropriate for the grade and   subject area for which the partnership resident seeks   certification.           Sec.   21.826.     AGENCY SUPPORT. The agency shall provide   technical assistance, planning, and support to school districts,   open-enrollment charter schools, and qualified educator   preparation programs, which must include:                 (1)     providing model forms and agreements a district,   school, or educator preparation program may use to comply with the   requirements of this subchapter; and                 (2)     support for district and school strategic staffing   and compensation models to incentivize participation in a   partnership program.           Sec.   21.827.     AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CERTAIN FUNDS. The   commissioner may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations   from public and private entities to use for the purposes of this   subchapter.           Sec.   21.828.     RULES. (a) The board shall propose rules   necessary to implement this subchapter, including rules under   Sections 21.823 and 21.825.           (b)     The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to   implement this subchapter.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 48, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 48.157 to read as follows:           Sec.   48.157.     RESIDENCY PARTNERSHIP ALLOTMENT. (a)   In this   section, "partnership program" and "partnership resident" have the   meanings assigned by Section 21.821.           (b)     For each partnership resident employed at a district in   a residency position under Subchapter R, Chapter 21, the district   is entitled to an allotment equal to a base amount of $22,000   increased by the high needs and rural factor, as determined under   Subsection (c), to an amount not to exceed $42,000.           (c)     The high needs and rural factor is determined by   multiplying $5,000 by the lesser of:                 (1)     the average of the point value assigned to each   student at a district campus under Sections 48.112(e) and (f); or                 (2)  4.0.           (d)     In addition to the funding under Subsection (b), a   district that qualifies for an allotment under this section is   entitled to an additional $2,000 for each partnership resident   employed in a residency position at the district who is a candidate   for special education certification.           (e)     The Texas School for the Deaf and the Texas School for   the Blind and Visually Impaired are entitled to an allotment under   this section.   If the commissioner determines that assigning point   values under Subsection (c) to students enrolled in the Texas   School for the Deaf or the Texas School for the Blind and Visually   Impaired is impractical, the commissioner may use the average point   value assigned for those students' home districts for purposes of   calculating the high needs and rural factor.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter Q, Chapter 21, Education Code, is   repealed.          SECTION 4.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of   this section, this Act takes effect immediately if this Act   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, the entirety of this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.          (b)  Section 48.157, Education Code, as added by this Act,   takes effect September 1, 2025.