| (a) Purpose. In accordance with the Texas Education
Code (TEC), §21.4551, the Texas adolescent literacy academies
shall provide instruction to English language arts and reading and
content area teachers in successful, research-based strategies for
improving students' academic literacy. The literacy academies shall
be framed within a school-wide approach to address the needs of struggling
adolescent readers.
(1) The English Language Arts Academy training, which
addresses requirements in the TEC, §21.4551(b)(1) and (2), for
teachers of English language arts and reading, may be completed through
participation in either a three-day face-to-face training or an 18-hour
online training.
(2) The Content Area Academy training, which addresses
requirements in the TEC, §21.4551(b)(3), for teachers of mathematics,
science, and social studies, may be completed through participation
in either a nine-hour face-to-face training or a nine-hour online
training.
(b) Applicability. The requirements of this section
apply to the following teachers in general education, special education,
or English as a second language of students in Grade 6, 7, or 8 at
a campus that receives a rating that reflects unacceptable performance
and that fails to meet the state system safeguard performance target
in reading for one or more student groups:
(1) a certified, full-time English language arts and
reading teacher who instructs English language arts and/or reading
for at least 50% of the teacher's instructional duties;
(2) a certified, full-time content area teacher who
instructs mathematics, science, and/or social studies for at least
50% of the teacher's instructional duties; and
(3) a noncertified, full-time teacher at an open-enrollment
charter school who meets the subject area and instructional duties
criteria specified in paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection.
(c) Attendance and completion requirements.
(1) A teacher described in subsection (b) of this section
is required to complete the training not later than December 31 of
the calendar year in which the rating that reflects unacceptable performance
is assigned.
(2) Each education service center (ESC) providing face-to-face
training will determine attendance requirements and the process for
the makeup of any days missed due to emergencies on an individual
basis.
(3) Completion of face-to-face training is determined
by the ESC providing the training. Completion of online training is
accomplished through successful completion of assessments embedded
in the training.
(d) Eligibility for teacher stipends. A teacher whose
attendance is required in subsection (b) of this section is eligible
for a teacher stipend upon completion of the face-to-face training
if funds have been appropriated and are available for that purpose.
A teacher who completes the online training is not eligible for a
stipend.
(e) Record retention. Each school district with teachers
required to attend and complete Texas adolescent reading academies
according to this section must maintain records to verify teacher
attendance and completion in accordance with the school district's
record retention policy.
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