2023 Texas Statutes › Education Code › Title 2 - Public Education › Subtitle D - Educators and School District Employees and Volunteers › Chapter 21 - Educators › Subchapter J. Staff Development › Section 21.4552. Teacher Literacy Achievement Academies

Sec. 21.4552.  TEACHER LITERACY ACHIEVEMENT ACADEMIES.  (a)  The commissioner shall develop and make available literacy achievement academies for teachers who provide reading instruction to students at any grade level.
(b)  A literacy achievement academy developed under this  section:
(1)  for teachers who provide reading instruction to students at the kindergarten or first, second, or third grade level:
(A)  must include training in:
(i)  effective and systematic instructional practices in reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; and
(ii)  the use of empirically validated instructional methods that are appropriate for struggling readers; and
(B)  may include training in effective instructional practices in writing;
(2)  for teachers who provide reading instruction to students at the fourth or fifth grade level:
(A)  must include effective instructional practices that promote student development of reading comprehension and inferential and critical thinking;
(B)  must provide training in the use of empirically validated instructional methods that are appropriate for struggling readers; and
(C)  may include material on writing instruction;
(3)  for teachers who provide reading instruction to students at the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade level, must include training in:
(A)  strategies to be implemented in English language arts and other subject areas for multisyllable word reading, vocabulary development, and comprehension of expository and narrative text;
(B)  an adaptation framework that enables teachers to respond to differing student strengths and needs, including adaptations for students of limited English proficiency or students receiving special education services under Subchapter A, Chapter 29;
(C)  collaborative strategies to increase active student involvement and motivation to read; and
(D)  other areas identified by the commissioner as essential components of reading instruction;
(4)  for teachers who provide reading instruction to students at the seventh or eighth grade level, must include training in:
(A)  administration of the reading instrument required by Section 28.006(c-1); and
(B)  interpretation of the results of the reading instrument required by Section 28.006(c-1) and strategies, based on scientific research regarding effective reading instruction, for long-term intensive intervention to target identified student needs in word recognition, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension; and
(5)  for teachers who provide instruction in mathematics, science, or social studies to students at the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade level, must include training in:
(A)  strategies for incorporating reading instruction into the curriculum for the subject area taught by the teacher; and
(B)  other areas identified by the commissioner.
(b-1)  The completion of a literacy achievement academy under this section by an educator who teaches students with dyslexia satisfies:
(1)  the training requirement under Section 21.054(b); and
(2)  a training requirement adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to Section 38.003 related to the screening or treatment of a student for dyslexia or a related disorder.
(c)  The commissioner shall adopt criteria for selecting teachers who may attend a literacy achievement academy.  In adopting selection criteria under this subsection, the commissioner shall:
(1)  require a teacher to attend a literacy achievement academy if the teacher provides instruction in reading, mathematics, science, or social studies to students at the sixth, seventh, or eighth grade level at a campus that fails to satisfy any standard under Section 39.054(e) on the basis of student performance on the reading assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023(a) to students in any grade level at the campus;
(2)  grant priority to teachers employed by a school district at a campus at which 50 percent or more of the students enrolled are educationally disadvantaged; and
(3)  provide a process through which a teacher not employed at a campus described by Subdivision (2) may attend the academy if the academy has available space and the school district employing the teacher pays the costs of the teacher's attendance.
(d)  From funds appropriated for that purpose, a teacher who attends a literacy achievement academy is entitled to receive a stipend in the amount determined by the commissioner.  A stipend received under this subsection is not considered in determining whether a school district is paying the teacher the minimum monthly salary under Section 21.402.
(e)  On request of the commissioner, regional education service centers shall assist the commissioner and agency with training and other activities relating to the development and operation of literacy achievement academies.
(f)  This section expires September 1, 2027.
Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 55 (S.B. 925), Sec. 1, eff. May 21, 2015.
Amended by:
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1045 (S.B. 1267), Sec. 6, eff. June 18, 2021.
For expiration of this section, see Subsection (f).