Sec. 21.410. MASTER TEACHER GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The commissioner shall establish a master teacher grant program to encourage teachers to:

(1) become certified as master teachers in reading, mathematics, technology, or science; and

(2) work with other teachers and with students in order to improve student reading, mathematics, or science performance or to increase the use of technology in each classroom, as applicable.

(b) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the commissioner shall make grants to school districts as provided by this section to pay stipends to selected certified master teachers who teach at high-need campuses.

(c) The commissioner shall annually identify each high-need campus in a school district using criteria established by the commissioner by rule. The commissioner shall also use the criteria to rank campuses in order of greatest need.

(c-1) In establishing criteria under Subsection (c) to identify high-need campuses for purposes of awarding master teacher grants in reading, mathematics, or science, the commissioner must include performance on the reading, mathematics, or science assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023, as applicable.

(d) A school district may apply to the commissioner for grants for each high-need campus identified by the commissioner to be used to pay stipends to certified master teachers in accordance with this section. The commissioner shall approve the application if the district:

(1) applies within the period and in the manner required by rule adopted by the commissioner; and

(2) agrees to use each grant only for the purpose of paying a year-end stipend to a master teacher in reading, mathematics, technology, or science:

(A) who holds the appropriate certificate issued under Section 21.0481, Section 21.0482, Section 21.0483, or Section 21.0484;

(B) who teaches in a position prescribed by the district at a high-need campus identified by the commissioner;

(C) whose primary duties include:

(i) teaching reading, mathematics, or science or integrating technology use in teaching, as applicable; and

(ii) serving as a reading, mathematics, or science teaching mentor or technology training mentor, as applicable, to other teachers for the amount of time and in the manner established by the district and by rule adopted by the commissioner; and

(D) who satisfies any other requirements established by rule adopted by the commissioner.

(e) Unless reduced under Subsection (g) or (i), a stipend under Subsection (d)(2) is in the amount of $5,000.

(f) The commissioner shall adopt rules for the distribution of grants to school districts following the year of the initial grant. A district that has been approved for a grant to pay a stipend to a certified master teacher is not required to reapply for a grant for two consecutive school years following the year of the initial grant if the district:

(1) continues to pay a stipend as provided by Subsection (g); and

(2) notifies the commissioner in writing, within the period and in the manner prescribed by the commissioner, that the circumstances on which the grant was based have not changed.

(g) The commissioner shall reduce payments to a school district proportionately to the extent a teacher does not meet the requirements under Subsection (d)(2) for the entire school year. A district that employs more certified master teachers than the number of grants available under this section shall select the certified master teachers to whom to pay stipends based on a policy adopted by the board of trustees of the district, except that a district shall pay a stipend for two additional consecutive school years to a teacher the district has selected for and paid a stipend for a school year, who remains eligible for a stipend under Subsection (d)(2), and for whom the district receives a grant under this section for those years. A decision of the district under this subsection is final and may not be appealed. The district may not apportion among teachers a stipend paid for with a grant the district receives under this section. The district may use local money to pay additional stipends in amounts determined by the district.

(h) A grant a school district receives under this section is in addition to any funding the district receives under Chapter 42. The commissioner shall distribute funds under this section with the Foundation School Program payment to which the district is entitled as soon as practicable after the end of the school year as determined by the commissioner. A district to which Chapter 41 applies is entitled to the grants paid under this section. The commissioner shall determine the timing of the distribution of grants to a district that does not receive Foundation School Program payments.

(i) This section does not create a property right to a grant or stipend. A school district is entitled to a grant to carry out the purposes of this section only to the extent the commissioner makes the grant in accordance with this section and only to the extent sufficient state funds are appropriated for those purposes. If state funds are appropriated but are insufficient to fully fund a grant, the commissioner shall reduce the grant paid to each district and the district shall reduce the stipend the district pays to each teacher under this section proportionately so that each selected teacher receives the same amount of money.

(j) A decision of the commissioner concerning the amount of money to which a school district is entitled under this section is final and may not be appealed. Each district shall, in the manner and at the time prescribed by the commissioner, provide to the commissioner proof acceptable to the commissioner of the master teacher certification of a teacher to whom the district is paying a stipend under this section.

(k) The commissioner may audit the expenditure of money appropriated for purposes of this section. A district's use of the money appropriated for purposes of this section shall be verified as part of the district audit under Section 44.008.

(l) A stipend a teacher receives under this section is not considered in determining whether the district is paying the teacher the minimum monthly salary under Section 21.402.

(m) The commissioner may adopt other rules as necessary to implement this section.

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 931, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 439 (S.B. 1376), Sec. 3.01, eff. June 4, 2019.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 439 (S.B. 1376), Sec. 3.02, eff. June 4, 2019.

Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 943 (H.B. 3), Sec. 4.001(a)(6), eff. September 1, 2019.