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.