Bill Text: TX HB345 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the creation of a task force to study the standards of the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test administered to bilingual educators in public schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-12 - Referred to Public Education [HB345 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB345-Introduced.html
84R2123 MK-D | ||
By: González | H.B. No. 345 |
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relating to the creation of a task force to study the standards of | ||
the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test administered to | ||
bilingual educators in public schools. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 29, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 29.0611 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 29.0611. TASK FORCE ON BILINGUAL TARGET LANGUAGE | ||
PROFICIENCY TEST. (a) A task force is established under this | ||
section to examine and review the Bilingual Target Language | ||
Proficiency Test. | ||
(b) The task force shall be composed of the following | ||
members appointed by the commissioner: | ||
(1) one representative from the State Board for | ||
Educator Certification; | ||
(2) one representative from the Bilingual/ESL Unit of | ||
the Division of Curriculum in the agency; | ||
(3) four professional bilingual educators who are | ||
certified after taking the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency | ||
Test; | ||
(4) four professional bilingual educators who are | ||
certified without taking the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency | ||
Test; | ||
(5) two school district administrators who serve as | ||
coordinators of bilingual programs in urban school districts; and | ||
(6) two school district administrators who serve as | ||
coordinators of bilingual programs in rural school districts. | ||
(c) The member of the task force appointed under Subsection | ||
(b)(2) shall serve as the presiding officer of the task force. | ||
(d) The commissioner shall appoint the members of the task | ||
force not later than November 1, 2015. | ||
(e) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of | ||
the task force on or before December 1, 2015. The task force shall | ||
meet at the times and places that the presiding officer determines | ||
are appropriate. The task force shall adopt rules necessary to | ||
fulfill the task force's duties under this section. | ||
(f) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the | ||
task force. | ||
(g) The task force shall: | ||
(1) review the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency | ||
Test and determine if the test effectively evaluates the skills a | ||
professional bilingual educator will use when interacting with | ||
students and parents of students; | ||
(2) determine if the Bilingual Target Language | ||
Proficiency Test adequately identifies and delineates the | ||
essential knowledge and skills that a professional bilingual | ||
educator must teach students; and | ||
(3) investigate the efficacy of the current passing | ||
standards for each domain of the Bilingual Target Language | ||
Proficiency Test in order to determine if the standards are overly | ||
restrictive. | ||
(h) The task force shall prepare a report that includes: | ||
(1) a description of the activities of the task force; | ||
(2) the findings and recommendations of the task | ||
force, including any proposed policy and research recommendations; | ||
and | ||
(3) any proposals for legislation or other matters the | ||
task force considers appropriate. | ||
(i) Not later than September 1, 2016, the task force shall | ||
deliver the report required by Subsection (h) to the governor, the | ||
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, | ||
and the commissioner. | ||
(j) The task force is abolished and this section expires on | ||
December 1, 2016. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |