HBA-MSH H.B. 1627 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1627 By: Grusendorf Public Education 3/12/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Texas suffers from a widely recognized teacher shortage, which is especially acute in the areas of math and science. Teachers could be recruited and the performance of Texas students on assessment exams could be improved with increased resources for mathematics instruction and continuing education of mathematics teachers. House Bill 1627 creates mathematics training programs for teachers, tutoring programs for students, and a grant program for master mathematics teachers. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the commissioner of education in SECTION 2 (Section 21.411, Education Code) and SECTION 5 (Sec. 29.087, Education Code) of this bill and to the State Board for Educator Certification in SECTION 7 of this bill. ANALYSIS House Bill 1627 amends the Education Code to require the State Board for Educator Certification to establish a master mathematics teacher certificate (certificate) and sets forth eligibility requirements for a teacher to receive a certificate (Sec. 21.0482). The bill requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to establish a master mathematics teacher grant program to encourage teachers to become certified as master mathematics teachers and to work with students and other teachers to improve student mathematics performance. From funds appropriated for that purpose, the commissioner is required to make grants, in the amount of $5,000, to school districts to pay stipends to selected certified master mathematics teachers who teach at high-need campuses. The bill requires the commissioner, by rule, to annually identify and rank in order of greatest need each high-need campus. The bill authorizes a school district to apply to the commissioner for grants to pay stipends to certified master mathematics teachers. The bill sets forth the criteria for evaluating and approving applications. The bill also sets forth provisions regarding the application of districts for the grants, and the distribution, funding, use, and auditing of the grants (Sec. 21.411). The bill requires the commissioner to develop and make available training material and resources for school districts to use in assisting mathematics teachers in developing expertise in teaching mathematics (Sec. 21.454). The bill requires the commissioner to develop and make available professional development institutes for teachers who provide instruction in mathematics to students at the fifth through eighth grade levels. The bill sets forth provisions relating to the curriculum of the institutes, criteria for the selection of teachers to attend the institute, and the payment of stipends to teachers who complete an institute (Sec. 21.455). The bill requires the commissioner to develop and make available assessment instruments that a school district may use to diagnose student mathematics skills (Sec. 28.007). The bill authorizes a school district to provide an intensive after-school or summer program to provide mathematics instruction to students who are performing poorly in mathematics. The bill sets forth provisions regulating the manner in which a district must administer such a program. The bill requires the commissioner to by rule establish procedures regarding the application of school districts for funding, adopt guidelines for the selection of districts to receive funding, require the administration of assessment exams by the districts, and disseminate information regarding successful instructional methods. The bill provides that an afterschool or summer program shall be paid with funds appropriated for that purpose (Sec. 29.087). The bill amends the Government Code to include stipends issued through the program in the definition of "salary and wages" for the purpose of calculating member contributions and benefits under the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (Sec. 822.201). The State Board for Educator Certification shall propose rules establishing requirements and prescribing an examination for master mathematics teacher certification by January 1, 2003 (SECTION 7). EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.