The bill creates an approval process to allow certain career and technology courses to be eligible for mathematics and science credit under the recommended and advanced high school programs.  The State Board of Education would establish a process under which applied Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses that meet the approval criteria could be substituted for mathematics and science courses required under those programs. 

The bill would require teachers to pass a certification test administered by the organization that created the curriculum on which the STEM course is based; and have at least an associate degree as well as three years of work experience in the occupation for which the STEM course is intended to prepare students.

The Commissioner of Education would be required to implement the new process by September 1, 2012.

The TEA estimates some costs of convening an expert panel to review STEM courses for approval, but these costs are not expected to be significant.  It is assumed that any teacher training performed by the agency in these courses would be conducted to the extent that existing resources permitted.