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TITLE 19EDUCATION
PART 2TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
CHAPTER 61SCHOOL DISTRICTS
SUBCHAPTER ABOARD OF TRUSTEES RELATIONSHIP
RULE §61.1Continuing Education for School Board Members

(a) Under the Texas Education Code (TEC), §11.159, the State Board of Education (SBOE) shall adopt a framework for governance leadership to be used in structuring continuing education for school board members. The framework shall be posted to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website and shall be distributed annually by the president of each board of trustees to all current board members and the superintendent.

(b) The continuing education required under the TEC, §11.159, applies to each member of an independent school district board of trustees.

  (1) Each school board member of an independent school district shall complete a local district orientation.

    (A) The purpose of the local orientation is to familiarize new board members with local board policies and procedures and district goals and priorities.

    (B) A candidate for school board may complete the training up to one year before he or she is elected or appointed. A newly elected or appointed school board member who did not complete this training in the year preceding his or her election or appointment must complete the training within 120 calendar days after election or appointment.

    (C) The orientation shall be at least three hours in length.

    (D) The orientation shall address local district practices in the following, in addition to topics chosen by the local district:

      (i) curriculum and instruction;

      (ii) business and finance operations;

      (iii) district operations;

      (iv) superintendent evaluation; and

      (v) board member roles and responsibilities.

    (E) Each board member should be made aware of the continuing education requirements of this section and those of the following:

      (i) open meetings act in Texas Government Code, §551.005;

      (ii) public information act in Texas Government Code, §552.012; and

      (iii) cybersecurity in Texas Government Code, §2054.5191.

    (F) The orientation shall be open to any board member who chooses to attend.

  (2) Each school board member of an independent school district shall complete a basic orientation to the TEC and relevant legal obligations.

    (A) The orientation shall have special, but not exclusive, emphasis on statutory provisions related to governing Texas school districts.

    (B) A candidate for school board may complete the training up to one year before he or she is elected or appointed. A newly elected or appointed school board member who did not complete this training in the year preceding his or her election or appointment must complete the training within 120 calendar days after election or appointment.

    (C) The orientation shall be at least three hours in length.

    (D) Topics shall include, but not be limited to, the TEC, Chapter 26 (Parental Rights and Responsibilities), and the TEC, §28.004 (Local School Health Advisory Council and Health Education Instruction).

    (E) The orientation shall be provided by a regional education service center (ESC).

    (F) The orientation shall be open to any board member who chooses to attend.

    (G) The continuing education may be fulfilled through online instruction, provided that the training incorporates interactive activities that assess learning and provide feedback to the learner and offers an opportunity for interaction with the instructor.

    (H) The ESC shall determine the clock hours of training credit to be awarded for successful completion of an online course and shall provide verification of completion as required in subsection (h) of this section.

  (3) After each session of the Texas Legislature, including each regular session and called session related to education, each school board member shall complete an update to the basic orientation to the TEC.

    (A) The update session shall be of sufficient length to familiarize board members with major changes in statute and other relevant legal developments related to school governance.

    (B) The update shall be provided by an ESC or a registered provider, as defined by subsection (c) of this section.

    (C) A board member who has attended an ESC basic orientation session described in paragraph (2) of this subsection that incorporated the most recent legislative changes is not required to attend an update.

    (D) The continuing education may be fulfilled through online instruction, provided that the training is designed and offered by a registered provider, incorporates interactive activities that assess learning and provide feedback to the learner, and offers an opportunity for interaction with the instructor.

    (E) The ESC or registered provider shall determine the clock hours of training credit to be awarded for successful completion of an online course and shall provide verification of completion as required in subsection (h) of this section.

  (4) The entire board shall participate with their superintendent in a team-building session.

    (A) The purpose of the team-building session is to enhance the effectiveness of the board-superintendent team and to assess the continuing education needs of the board-superintendent team.

    (B) The session shall be held annually.

    (C) The session shall be at least three hours in length.

    (D) The session shall include a review of the roles, rights, and responsibilities of a local board as outlined in the framework for governance leadership described in subsection (a) of this section.

    (E) The assessment of needs shall be based on the framework for governance leadership described in subsection (a) of this section and shall be used to plan continuing education activities for the year for the governance leadership team.

    (F) The team-building session shall be provided by an ESC or a registered provider as described in subsection (c) of this section.

    (G) The superintendent's participation in team-building sessions as part of the continuing education for board members shall represent one component of the superintendent's ongoing professional development.

  (5) In addition to the continuing education requirements in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection, each board member shall complete additional continuing education based on the framework for governance leadership described in subsection (a) of this section.

    (A) The purpose of continuing education is to address the continuing education needs referenced in paragraph (4) of this subsection.

    (B) The continuing education shall be completed annually.

    (C) In a board member's first year of service, he or she shall complete at least ten hours of continuing education in fulfillment of assessed needs.

    (D) Following a board member's first year of service, he or she shall complete at least five hours of continuing education annually in fulfillment of assessed needs.

    (E) A board president shall complete continuing education related to leadership duties of a board president as some portion of the annual requirement.

    (F) At least 50% of the continuing education shall be designed and delivered by persons not employed or affiliated with the board member's local school district. No more than one hour of the required continuing education that is delivered by the local district may utilize self-instructional materials.

    (G) The continuing education shall be provided by an ESC or a registered provider, as defined by subsection (c) of this section.

    (H) The continuing education may be fulfilled through online instruction, provided that the training is designed and offered by a registered provider, incorporates interactive activities that assess learning and provide feedback to the learner, and offers an opportunity for interaction with the instructor.

    (I) The ESC or registered provider shall determine the clock hours of training credit to be awarded for successful completion of an online course and shall provide verification of completion as required in subsection (h) of this section.

  (6) Each school board member shall complete continuing education on evaluating student academic performance and setting individual campus goals for early childhood literacy and mathematics and college, career, and military readiness.

    (A) The purpose of the training on evaluating student academic performance is to provide research-based information to board members that is designed to support the oversight role of the board of trustees outlined in the TEC, §11.1515.

Cont'd...

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