Bill: SB 529, 85(R) - 2017
Committee
Senate Education
Vote Recommendation
Vote Recommendation |
Economic Freedom |
Property Rights |
Personal Responsibility |
Limited Government |
Individual Liberty |
No |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Neutral |
Negative |
Neutral |
Author(s)
Eddie Lucio Jr.
Bill Caption
Relating to improving training and staff development for primary and secondary educators to enable them to more effectively serve all students.
Fiscal Notes
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB 529, Committee
Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($332,088) through the biennium ending
August 31, 2019, assuming the agency implements the program. The agency is not required to
implement the legislation in the absence of an appropriation.
Bill Analysis
The bill would
require minimum qualifications to include basic knowledge of each disability category under the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, competency with the use of evidence-based
inclusive instructional practices, and appropriate adaptation strategies.
The bill would require educator preparation programs to use a universal design for learning
framework integrating inclusion for all students as a requirement for approval or renewal of
approval. The bill would require student achievement of all students, including students with
disabilities, to be included as part the accountability indicators for educator preparation programs.
Vote Recommendation Notes
This bill substantially increases the minimum requirements to earn a teaching certificate. It is already a high bar to earn a teaching certificate - adding these qualifications is unnecessary and makes it more difficult for people to enter the teaching profession. This is a clear increase in government regulation on teachers. For this reason we oppose SB 529.