19 TAC §102.1011
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) proposes new §102.1011,
concerning the Master Reading Teacher Grant Program. The new section establishes
the definitions, requirements, and procedures relating to the implementation
of the Master Reading Teacher Grant Program as authorized by Texas Education
Code (TEC), §21.410, added by House Bill (HB) 2307, 76th Texas Legislature,
1999.
House Bill (HB) 2307, 76th Texas Legislature, 1999, created the new Master
Reading Teacher Grant Program. The commissioner of education is authorized
to make grants to school districts to pay stipends to selected certified master
reading teachers who teach at high-need campuses as defined in the proposed
new rule. The commissioner is authorized to adopt rules for implementation
of the new grant program.
Robin Gilchrist, Assistant Commissioner for statewide initiatives, has
determined that for the first five- year period the section is in effect there
will be fiscal implications for state and local governments as a result of
enforcing or administering the new section. The TEA will incur costs in the
administration and distribution of stipend dollars to local school districts.
The local school districts will incur costs in the administration and distribution
of stipend dollars to master reading teachers. The 76th Texas Legislature
appropriated $12 million for the FY2000/FY2001 biennium to fund a Master Reading
Teacher Grant Program.
Ms. Gilchrist and Criss Cloudt, associate commissioner for policy planning
and research, have determined that for each year of the first five years the
section is in effect the public benefit anticipated as a result of enforcing
the section will be the facilitation of the implementation of the program.
The program is intended to increase the reading ability of Texas school children,
particularly those on identified high-need campuses by encouraging teachers
to become certified as master reading teachers and to work with other teachers
and with students to improve student reading performance. There will not be
an effect on small businesses. There is anticipated economic costs to persons
who voluntary comply with the proposed new section. Costs associated with
the program would likely fall to teachers needing to complete a State Board
for Educator Certification-approved Master Reading Teacher preparation program.
Costs will vary among approved educator preparation programs. Eligible applicants
funded through the grant program will receive an increase in revenue. Participation
in the Master Reading Teacher Grant Program is a voluntary activity rather
than a requirement of teachers.
Comments on the proposal may be submitted to Criss Cloudt, Policy Planning
and Research, 1701 North Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas 78701, (512) 463-9701.
Comments may also be submitted electronically to
rules@tmail.tea.state.tx.us
or faxed to (512) 475-3499. All requests
for a public hearing on the proposed section submitted under the Administrative
Procedure Act must be received by the commissioner of education not more than
15 calendar days after notice of a proposed change in the section has been
published in the
Texas Register
.
The new section is proposed under the Texas Education Code, §21.410,
as added by HB 2307, 76th Texas Legislature, 1999, which authorizes the commissioner
of education to adopt rules to implement the Master Reading Teacher Grant
Program.
The new section implements the Texas Education Code, §21.410, as added
by HB 2307, 76th Texas Legislature, 1999.
§102.1011. Master Reading Teacher Grant Program.
(a)
Under Texas Education Code, §21.410, a school district
may apply to the commissioner of education for grants for high-need campuses
identified by the commissioner to be used to pay stipends to certified master
reading teachers, in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(b)
The following terms apply to each school district applicant
seeking stipends under the Master Reading Teacher Grant Program:
(1)
High-need campus. A high-need campus:
(A)
is a campus where the percentage of students passing the
Texas Assessment of Academic Skills in reading averages less than or equal
to a percentage designated by the commissioner over the past three school
years, not including the school year in which the stipend is to be paid; and
(B)
does not include:
(i)
a charter school; and
(ii)
an alternative education program.
(2)
Primary duties. The primary duties of a
master reading teacher are:
(A)
teaching reading; and
(B)
serving as a reading teacher mentor to other teachers.
(3)
Teaching reading. Teaching reading is performed
when a teacher:
(A)
applies knowledge of the interrelated components of reading
from early childhood through Grade 12 and uses expertise at the primary, intermediate/middle,
or high school level to plan, implement, and monitor reading instruction;
(B)
selects and administers appropriate reading assessments
and uses the results to design reading instruction;
(C)
applies knowledge of primary and secondary language acquisition,
reading difficulties, and dyslexia and related reading disorders to facilitate
and promote literacy; and
(D)
designs and implements instruction based on the Texas
Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in reading at the appropriate grade
level.
(4)
Reading teacher mentor. A reading teacher mentor:
(A)
uses strategies to ensure research-based reading instruction
through communication and collaboration with other teachers;
(B)
coaches and consults with other teachers; and
(C)
provides professional development.
(5)
Certified master reading teacher. A certified
master reading teacher is:
(A)
a person who holds a reading specialist certificate and
has satisfactorily completed a course approved by the State Board for Educator
Certification (SBEC) for the purpose of becoming a master reading teacher;
or
(B)
a person who holds a teaching certificate in reading who:
(i)
has at least three years of teaching experience;
(ii)
has satisfactorily completed a course approved by the
SBEC for the purpose of becoming a master reading teacher; and
(iii)
has successfully performed on the master reading teacher
certification examination prescribed by the SBEC.
(c)
A school district may apply to the commissioner for grants
for each high-need campus as defined in subsection (b)(1) of this section
to be used to pay year-end stipends to certified master reading teachers whose
primary duties include:
(1)
teaching reading; and
(2)
serving as a reading teacher mentor to other teachers
for the amount of time and in the manner established by the school district
in conformance with the definitions set forth in subsection (b) of this section.
The application must contain a certification by the school superintendent
that the grants will be used only for the purpose set forth in this section.
(d)
School districts with identified high-need campuses having
a large student population as determined annually by the commissioner may
receive grants to pay stipends to two certified master reading teachers per
high-need campus. School districts with high-need campuses having a small
student population as determined annually by the commissioner may receive
a grant to pay a stipend to one master reading teacher per high-need campus.
(e)
Applications must be filed with the commissioner during
the school year in which a stipend is to be paid, but no later than May 31
of a given year.
(f)
A school district approved for a grant to pay a stipend
on a specific high-need campus is not required to reapply for this grant for
two consecutive years following the initial year of the grant if the district:
(1)
continues to pay the stipend as provided in subsection
(d) of this section; and
(2)
notifies the commissioner, in a manner prescribed
by the commissioner, that the circumstances on which the grant was based have
not changed. School districts are not required to notify the commissioner
if, according to local school district policy, the school district continues
to pay the stipend to the teacher for the remaining two years even if the
campus is no longer a high-need campus. The stipend must continue to be paid
for the primary duties of teaching reading and serving as a reading teacher
mentor as defined in subsection (b)(2) of this section.
(g)
If a school district's grant circumstances change in the
second or third year, a notification pertaining to the second and third year
must be filed with the commissioner no later than October 30 of a given year.
(h)
Annual stipends to certified master reading teachers must
be paid by local school districts no later than 30 days after receipt of the
grant by the school district.
This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed
by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.
Filed with the Office of
the Secretary of State, on March 6, 2000.
TRD-200001699
Criss Cloudt
Associate Commissioner, Policy Planning and Research
Texas Education Agency
Earliest possible date of adoption: April 16, 2000
For further information, please call: (512) 463-9701