| (a) Effective September 1, 2023, military veterans,
peace officers, fire protection personnel, and emergency medical services
personnel as defined in §234.3 of this title (relating to Definitions)
shall be issued a one-time, nonrenewable, three-year temporary certificate
for career and technology education if they meet the following:
(1) has served in the armed forces of the United States
and was honorably discharged, retired, or released from active duty;
or
(2) has served as a first responder and, while in good
standing not because of pending or final disciplinary actions or a
documented performance problem, retired, resigned, or separated from
employment as a first responder; and
(A) has an associate degree from an accredited institution
of higher education and 48 months of active duty military service
or service as a first responder; or
(B) a bachelor's degree, which includes 60 semester
credit hours completed at a public or private institution of higher
education with a minimum grade point average of at least 2.50 on a
four-point scale and military service or service as a first responder.
(b) A school district shall assign a mentor teacher
to a classroom teacher who has been issued a temporary certificate
to teach career and technology education under Texas Education Code
(TEC), §21.0444, for at least two school years. A teacher assigned
as a mentor must:
(1) to the extent practicable, teach in the same school;
(2) to the extent practicable, teach the same subject
or grade level, as applicable; and
(3) meet the qualifications prescribed by commissioner
of education rules adopted under TEC, §21.458(b), or §153.1011
of Part 2 of this title (relating to Mentor Program Allotment).
(c) An individual who meets the qualifications specified
in subsection (a) of this section and who is interested in obtaining
the three-year, nonrenewable temporary certificate, may submit the
following items to the Texas Education Agency staff:
(1) a completed application;
(2) verification of military veteran status or licensure
as a peace officer, fire protection services personnel, or emergency
medical services personnel; and
(3) an official transcript showing degree conferred
and conferral date, or successful completion of college coursework.
(d) A military veteran, peace officer, fire protection
personnel, and emergency services personnel must enroll in a Texas-approved
educator preparation program to complete requirements for issuance
of the standard certificate.
|
