HBA-MPM H.B. 2908 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2908 By: Olivo Public Education 4/20/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The National Board for Professional Teacher Standards (NBPTS) was created in 1987 as a private, non-profit organization whose 63-member governing board includes is comprised of mostly teachers. Candidates for national board certification are required to complete a portfolio that shows direct evidence of effective teaching, such as videotaped excerpts and student work samples. H.B. 2908 entitles an educator who applies for certification from and becomes certified by NBPTS to a reimbursement of no more than $2,000 for the costs incurred by the educator for certification. The bill limits this reimbursement to 500 educators per year. 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 E, Chapter 21, Education Code, by adding Section 21.358, as follows: Sec. 21.358. NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS CERTIFICATION REIMBURSEMENT. (a) Entitles an educator who voluntarily applies for certification from and becomes certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, except as provided by Subsection (b), to reimbursement from state funds appropriated for that purpose for no more than $2,000 of the necessary costs the educator incurs in achieving that certification. (b) Prohibits no more than 500 educators from receiving reimbursement under this section each year. Requires the reimbursement to be provided to the first 500 educators qualified under Subsection (a) who apply for reimbursement each year. SECTION 2. Makes this Act prospective to reimbursement for expenses an educator incurs on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.