TEACHER MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT AND INTERVENTIONIST ACADEMIES.

(a) The commissioner shall develop and make available mathematics achievement academies for teachers who provide mathematics instruction to students at any grade level.

(b) A mathematics achievement academy developed under this section must, if appropriate for the grade level at which the teacher provides instruction, include training in:

(1) effective and systematic instructional practices in mathematics, including problem solving, the place value system, whole number operations, and fractions;

(2) the underlying mathematical skills required to be taught; and

(3) mathematical instruction techniques that, through scientific testing, have been proven effective.

(c) The commissioner shall adopt criteria for selecting teachers who may attend a mathematics achievement academy. In adopting selection criteria under this subsection, the commissioner shall:

(1) require granting a 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

(2) provide a process through which a teacher not employed at a campus described by Subdivision (1) 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) Except as provided by Subsection (d-1), from funds provided under Section 48.108 or other available funds, a classroom teacher who completes a mathematics achievement academy is entitled to receive a stipend from the school district in the amount determined by the commissioner. A stipend received under this subsection is not considered in determining whether a district is paying the classroom teacher the minimum monthly salary under Section 21.402.

(d-1) A school district is not required to provide a stipend under Subsection (d) to a classroom teacher if the teacher:

(1) attends the mathematics achievement academy as part of an educator preparation program in which the teacher is enrolled;

(2) attends the mathematics achievement academy on a day or during hours of service included in the term of the teacher's contract; or

(3) is not directed or approved by the school district at which the teacher is employed to attend the mathematics achievement academy.

(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 mathematics achievement academies.

(f) From money appropriated or otherwise available for the purpose, including an allotment under Section 48.108, a school district shall provide to an educator preparation program for each teacher enrolled in the educator preparation program who holds an intern with preservice experience certificate under Section 21.0412(a)(3) and completes a mathematics achievement academy under this section while employed by the district a one-time payment of $500 or another amount set by the agency.

(g) The agency shall develop a method for evaluating a mathematics achievement academy to determine the effectiveness of the academy, including whether the academy improves teaching practices and student math proficiency. A school district or open-enrollment charter school shall provide any information requested by the agency for purposes of evaluating mathematics achievement academies under this subsection.

(h) In addition to the mathematics achievement academies developed under Subsection (a), the commissioner shall develop and make available mathematics interventionist academies for a teacher or other professional who provides mathematics interventions to students who require targeted instruction in foundational mathematics skills.

(i) The commissioner may establish an advisory board to assist the agency in fulfilling the agency's duties under this section. A recommendation of the advisory board shall be made available to the public. Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to an advisory board established under this subsection.