HBA-AMW, CCH C.S.H.B. 1721 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 1721
By: Martinez Fischer
Public Education
4/3/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

As a result of a statewide teacher shortage, Texas has resorted to
alternative educator certification programs and emergency teaching permits
for individuals who are not certified.  These are programs that may
compromise the quality of education. At the same time, educators outside of
Texas must take a certification examination to be certified to teach in
Texas, even if they are certified to teach in another state and have passed
rigorous requirements and examinations.  This policy impedes teacher
mobility and contributes to the teacher shortage in Texas.   C.S.H.B. 1721
authorizes the State Board for Educator Certification to issue a teacher's
certificate to teachers who have been certified outside of Texas, without
requiring the teacher to pass the certification examination. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1721 amends the Education Code to authorize the State Board for
Educator Certification to issue a teacher's certificate to an educator who
performs satisfactorily on an examination similar to and at least as
rigorous as this state's certification examination administered to the
educator under the authority of another state if the educator holds a
certificate or other credential issued by that state. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 1721 modifies the original by providing that the State Board for
Educator Certification (board) may issue a certificate to an educator who
holds a certificate or other credential issued by another state, provided
that the educator performs satisfactorily on an examination similar to and
at least as rigorous as this state's certification examination administered
to the educator under the authority of that state, rather than provided
that the certificate issued by the originating state was issued for the
same academic specialization in which the educator is seeking to teach.
The substitute  differs from the original by removing the exception to
rules that the board is required to propose regarding comprehensive
examinations.