The bill proposes the creation of a temporary educator certificate for individuals who are certified to teach in other states. It introduces a new section, 21.0521, to the Education Code, which mandates the State Board for Educator Certification to establish and issue this temporary certificate to eligible applicants. To qualify, applicants must hold a valid, non-temporary teaching certificate from another state and possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. The temporary certificate will expire either one year after issuance or when the individual receives a standard Texas educator certificate, whichever comes first. Additionally, spouses of active-duty military members may have their temporary certificates valid for up to three years.

The bill also repeals certain existing provisions in Section 21.052 of the Education Code, specifically subsections (c), (d), (d-1), and (e), which may relate to previous certification processes. Furthermore, it requires the State Board for Educator Certification to adopt necessary rules for implementing the new temporary certification process. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon receiving a two-thirds majority vote in both houses or on September 1, 2025, if that threshold is not met.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 21.052 (Education Code 21)