Bill Analysis
Summary: HB 642 seeks to specify the types of continuing education requirements (CERs) that teachers, principals, and counselors have to take and not more than 25% of these requirements are allocated toward the overall educator training requirements. These CERs are specified according to HB 642 as follows:
Teachers
- Collecting and analyzing information that will improve effectiveness in the classroom.
- Recognizing early warning indicators that a student may be at risk of dropping out of school.
- Integrating technology into classroom instruction.
- Educating diverse student populations: Students with disabilities, including mental health disorders, students who are educationally disadvantaged, students of limited English proficiency, and students at risk of dropping out of school.
- Increasing knowledge of the subject area taught by the educator.
Principal
- Effective and efficient management: Collecting and analyzing information, making decisions and managing time, and supervising student discipline and managing behavior.
- Recognizing early warning indicators that a student may be at risk of dropping out of school.
- Integrating technology into campus curriculum and instruction.
- Educating diverse student populations: Students with disabilities, including mental health disorders, students who are educationally disadvantaged, students of limited English proficiency, and students at risk of dropping out of school.
- Providing instructional leadership: Providing teacher support, maintaining community involvement, building professional learning communities, and recruiting, coaching, remediating, and retaining campus educators.
Counselor
- Assisting students in developing high school graduation plans.
- Implementing dropout prevention strategies.
- Informing student concerning: College admissions, including college financial aid resources and application procedures, and career opportunities.
Analysis: HB 642 addresses a legitimate role of government by which the State Board of Education (SBOE) is statutorily required, according to the Texas Education Code 21.054, to specify the topics covered in CER requirements. This legislation seeks to specify the requirements that will enhance the educators' ability to help their students; therefore, developing greater efficiencies in professional training that will lead to better educated students. We support HB 642.
