By: Hughes, Campbell S.B. No. 1839     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the preparation, certification, and classification of   public school educators.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 21.043, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 21.043.  ACCESS TO PEIMS DATA.  (a)  The agency shall   provide the board with access to data obtained under the Public   Education Information Management System (PEIMS).          (b)  The agency shall provide educator preparation programs   with data based on information reported through the Public   Education Information Management System (PEIMS) that enables an   educator preparation program to:                (1)  assess the impact of the program; and                (2)  revise the program as needed to improve the design   and effectiveness of the program.          (c)  The agency in coordination with the board shall solicit   input from educator preparation programs to determine the data to   be provided to educator preparation programs.          SECTION 2.  Section 21.045, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:          (d)  To assist an educator preparation program in improving   the design and effectiveness of the program in preparing educators   for the classroom, the agency shall provide to each program data   that is compiled and analyzed by the agency based on information   reported through the Public Education Information Management   System (PEIMS) relating to the program.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 21.0489 to read as follows:          Sec. 21.0489.  EARLY CHILDHOOD CERTIFICATION. (a)  To   ensure that there are teachers with special training in early   childhood education focusing on prekindergarten through grade   three, the board shall establish an early childhood certificate.          (b)  A person is not required to hold a certificate   established under this section to be employed by a school district   to provide instruction in prekindergarten through grade three.          (c)  To be eligible for a certificate established under this   section, a person must:                (1)  either:                      (A)  satisfactorily complete the course work for   that certificate in an educator preparation program, including a   knowledge-based and skills-based course of instruction on early   childhood education that includes:                            (i)  teaching methods for:                                  (a)  using small group instructional   formats that focus on building social, emotional, and academic   skills;                                  (b)  navigating multiple content   areas; and                                  (c)  managing a classroom environment   in which small groups of students are working on different tasks;   and                            (ii)  strategies for teaching fundamental   academic skills, including reading, writing, and numeracy; or                      (B)  hold an early childhood through grade six   certificate issued under this subchapter and satisfactorily   complete a course of instruction described by Paragraph (A);                (2)  perform satisfactorily on an early childhood   certificate examination prescribed by the board; and                (3)  satisfy any other requirements prescribed by the   board.          (d)  The criteria for the course of instruction described by   Subsection (c)(1)(A) shall be developed by the board in   consultation with faculty members who provide instruction at   institutions of higher education in educator preparation programs   for an early childhood through grade six certificate.          SECTION 4.  Section 21.052, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:          (a-1)  The commissioner may adopt rules establishing   exceptions to the examination requirements prescribed by   Subsection (a)(3) for an educator from outside the state to obtain a   certificate in this state.          SECTION 5.  Section 30A.112(b), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b)  The state virtual school network may provide or   authorize providers of electronic professional development courses   to provide professional development for:                (1)  teachers who are teaching subjects or grade levels   for which the teachers are not certified; or                (2)  [teachers who must become highly qualified under   Section 1119, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Section   6319); or                [(3)]  teachers who must become qualified under the   Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400   et seq.).          SECTION 6.  The following provisions of the Education Code   are repealed:                (1)  Section 21.005;                (2)  Section 21.052(g); and                (3)  Section 21.057(e).          SECTION 7.  The State Board for Educator Certification shall   propose rules:                (1)  establishing requirements and prescribing an   examination for an early childhood certificate examination as   required by Section 21.0489, Education Code, as added by this Act;   and                (2)  establishing standards to govern the approval and   renewal of approval of educator preparation programs for early   childhood certification.          SECTION 8.  The commissioner of education is required to   implement Sections 1 and 2 of this Act only if the legislature   appropriates money specifically for that purpose.  If the   legislature does not appropriate money specifically for the purpose   of implementing Sections 1 and 2 of this Act, the commissioner of   education may, but is not required to, implement those sections   using other appropriations available for that purpose.          SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.