Sec. 21.451. STAFF DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS. (a) The staff development provided by a school district to an educator other than a principal must be:

(1) conducted in accordance with standards developed by the district; and

(2) designed to improve education in the district.

(a-1) Section 21.3541 and rules adopted under that section govern the professional development provided to a principal.

(b) The staff development described by Subsection (a) must be predominantly campus-based, related to achieving campus performance objectives established under Section 11.253, and developed and approved by the campus-level committee established under Section 11.251.

(c) For staff development under Subsection (a), a school district may use district-wide staff development developed and approved through the district-level decision process under Section 11.251.

(d) The staff development:

(1) may include training in:

(A) technology;

(B) positive behavior intervention and support strategies, including classroom management, district discipline policies, and the student code of conduct adopted under Chapter 37; and

(C) digital learning;

(2) subject to Subsection (e) and to Section 21.3541 and rules adopted under that section, must include training that is evidence-based, as defined by Section 8101, Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 7801), and that:

(A) relates to instruction of students with disabilities, including students with disabilities who also have other intellectual or mental health conditions; and

(B) is designed for educators who work primarily outside the area of special education; and

(3) must include training on:

(A) suicide prevention;

(B) recognizing signs of mental health conditions and substance abuse;

(C) strategies for establishing and maintaining positive relationships among students, including conflict resolution;

(D) how grief and trauma affect student learning and behavior and how evidence-based, grief-informed, and trauma-informed strategies support the academic success of students affected by grief and trauma; and

(E) preventing, identifying, responding to, and reporting incidents of bullying.

(d-1) The training required by Subsection (d)(3):

(1) must:

(A) be provided:

(i) on an annual basis, as part of a new employee orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter school educators; and

(ii) to existing school district and open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule; and

(B) use a best practice-based program recommended by the Health and Human Services Commission in coordination with the agency under Section 38.351; and

(2) may include two or more listed topics together.

(d-2) The suicide prevention training required by Subsection (d)(3) may be satisfied through independent review of suicide prevention training material that:

(1) complies with the guidelines developed by the agency; and

(2) is offered online.

(d-3) The digital learning training provided by Subsection (d)(1)(E) must:

(1) discuss basic technology proficiency expectations and methods to increase an educator's digital literacy; and

(2) assist an educator in the use of digital technology in learning activities that improve teaching, assessment, and instructional practices.

(e) A school district is required to provide the training described by Subsection (d)(2) to an educator who works primarily outside the area of special education only if the educator does not possess the knowledge and skills necessary to implement the individualized education program developed for a student receiving instruction from the educator. A district may determine the time and place at which the training is delivered.

(f) In developing or maintaining the training required by Subsection (d)(2), a school district must consult with persons with expertise in research-based practices for students with disabilities. Persons who may be consulted under this subsection include colleges, universities, private and nonprofit organizations, regional education service centers, qualified district personnel, and any other persons identified as qualified by the district. This subsection applies to all training required by Subsection (d)(2), regardless of whether the training is provided at the campus or district level.

(g) The staff development may include instruction as to what is permissible under law, including opinions of the United States Supreme Court, regarding prayer in public school.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 396, Sec. 2.06, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 766, Sec. 1, eff. June 13, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 495, Sec. 1.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 740 (S.B. 451), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 776 (H.B. 1942), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1093 (S.B. 1383), Sec. 4, eff. June 17, 2011.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1064 (H.B. 2186), Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 2015.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 757 (S.B. 1839), Sec. 10, eff. June 12, 2017.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 352 (H.B. 18), Sec. 1.05, eff. December 1, 2019.