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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a task force to study the standards of |
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the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test administered to |
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bilingual educators in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.0611 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.0611. TASK FORCE ON BILINGUAL TARGET LANGUAGE |
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PROFICIENCY TEST. (a) A task force is established under this |
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section to examine and review the Bilingual Target Language |
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Proficiency Test. |
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(b) The task force shall be composed of the following |
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members appointed by the commissioner: |
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(1) one representative from the State Board for |
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Educator Certification; |
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(2) one representative from the Bilingual/ESL Unit of |
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the Division of Curriculum in the agency; |
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(3) four professional bilingual educators who are |
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certified after taking the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency |
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Test; |
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(4) four professional bilingual educators who are |
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certified without taking the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency |
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Test; |
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(5) two school district administrators who serve as |
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coordinators of bilingual programs in urban school districts; and |
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(6) two school district administrators who serve as |
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coordinators of bilingual programs in rural school districts. |
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(c) The member of the task force appointed under Subsection |
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(b)(2) shall serve as the presiding officer of the task force. |
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(d) The commissioner shall appoint the members of the task |
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force not later than November 1, 2015. |
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(e) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of |
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the task force on or before December 1, 2015. The task force shall |
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meet at the times and places that the presiding officer determines |
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are appropriate. The task force shall adopt rules necessary to |
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fulfill the task force's duties under this section. |
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(f) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the |
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task force. |
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(g) The task force shall: |
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(1) review the Bilingual Target Language Proficiency |
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Test and determine if the test effectively evaluates the skills a |
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professional bilingual educator will use when interacting with |
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students and parents of students; |
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(2) determine if the Bilingual Target Language |
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Proficiency Test adequately identifies and delineates the |
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essential knowledge and skills that a professional bilingual |
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educator must teach students; and |
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(3) investigate the efficacy of the current passing |
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standards for each domain of the Bilingual Target Language |
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Proficiency Test in order to determine if the standards are overly |
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restrictive. |
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(h) The task force shall prepare a report that includes: |
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(1) a description of the activities of the task force; |
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(2) the findings and recommendations of the task |
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force, including any proposed policy and research recommendations; |
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and |
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(3) any proposals for legislation or other matters the |
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task force considers appropriate. |
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(i) Not later than September 1, 2016, the task force shall |
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deliver the report required by Subsection (h) to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and the commissioner. |
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(j) The task force is abolished and this section expires on |
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December 1, 2016. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |