19 TAC §102.1011
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) adopts new §102.1011,
concerning the Master Reading Teacher Grant Program with changes to the proposed
text as published in the March 17, 2000, issue of the
Texas Register
(25 TexReg 2260). 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.
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 new rule. The commissioner
is authorized to adopt rules for implementation of the new grant program.
The following changes have been made to the section since published as
proposed.
Language in subsection (b)(1)(A) was added to clarify that the percentage
of students reported as passing the TAAS is to be derived from the past three
school years for which data are available.
Language in subsection (b)(1)(B) that adds content and modifies existing
language was included to clarify which campuses may be deemed high-need campuses
for purposes of the master reading teacher grant program. The format of this
subsection was adjusted to accommodate the changes.
Language in subsections (b)(5)(A) and (b)(5)(B)(iii) requiring the completion
of "a course approved by the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC)"
has been clarified to read "a course of instruction approved by SBEC."
Language in subsection (b)(5)(B) referring to "a person who holds a teaching
certificate in reading" has been revised to "a person who holds a teaching
certificate."
Language in subsections (e) and (g) has been modified to allow the commissioner
of education to require that applications be filed in accordance with instructions
issued with the applications.
Additional technical changes were made throughout the subsections to clarify
the rule.
The following comments were received regarding the adoption of the sections.
Comment. A staff member from Region 12 Education Service Center asked for
clarification on the teaching certification requirement cited in proposed
new subsection (b)(5)(B).
Agency Response. The agency has revised the rules to clarify that a certified
master reading teacher can be a person who holds a teaching certificate who
has at least three years of teaching experience, has satisfactorily completed
a course of instruction approved by the SBEC, and has successfully performed
on the master reading teacher certification examination.
Comment. The Texas Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA) requested that
the rules require that a majority of the primary duties of the master reading
teacher consist of teaching reading and that a secondary function consist
of mentoring. In addition, TCTA asked for clarification about whether the
master reading teacher would perform duties outside the regular school day.
Agency Response. In accordance with the policy of local control, the agency
has not specified a breakdown of the duties by primary and secondary functions
nor set limits on when these functions would be performed. School districts
should assess the needs of their students and teachers and make appropriate
decisions, in accordance with local policy, that will lead to greater achievement
in reading.
Comment. TCTA also expressed concern that the master reading teacher stipend
would not be paid until the end of the school year nor would teachers know
until that time whether they would receive a stipend.
Agency Response. The payment schedule is set by statute, which specifies
a year-end stipend. The agency, however, has revised the rules to indicate
that districts must file applications with the commissioner of education in
accordance with the corresponding instructions. It is envisioned that the
application instructions would have districts specify the teachers expected
to be the master reading teachers, provided that all requirements are met.
The new section is adopted under the TEC, §21.410, as added
by House Bill 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 House Bill 2307, 76th Texas Legislature, 1999.
§102.1011.Master Reading Teacher Grant Program.
(a)
Under Texas Education Code (TEC), §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 reported passing
the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) in reading averages less than
or equal to a percentage designated by the commissioner over the past three
school years for which data are available, not including the school year in
which the stipend is to be paid; and
(B)
does not include:
(i)
a charter school;
(ii)
an alternative education program operated under TEC, §37.008,
and registered for the alternative accountability system for the 1998-1999
school year;
(iii)
a juvenile justice alternative education program; and
(iv)
a campus where fewer than 30 students took the TAAS in
reading over the past three school years for which data are available, not
including the school year in which the stipend is to be paid.
(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 of instruction 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 who:
(i)
has at least three years of teaching experience;
(ii)
has satisfactorily completed a course of instruction 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 in accordance with the application
instructions.
(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 in accordance with the application instructions.
(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 adoption has been reviewed
by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.
Filed with the Office of
the Secretary of State on May 12, 2000.
TRD-200003348
Criss Cloudt
Associate Commissioner, Policy Planning and Research
Texas Education Agency
Effective date: June 1, 2000
Proposal publication date: March 17, 2000
For further information, please call: (512) 463-9701