(a) In this section, “teacher of record” means a person employed by a school district who teaches the majority of the instructional day in an academic instructional setting and is responsible for evaluating student achievement and assigning grades.
(b) Before a school district may employ a candidate for certification as a teacher of record and, except as provided by Subsection (b-1), after the candidate’s admission to an educator preparation program, the candidate must complete at least 15 hours of field-based experience in which the candidate is actively engaged in instructional or educational activities involving a diverse student population that, to the greatest extent practicable, includes students with disabilities under supervision at:
(1) a public school campus accredited or approved for the purpose by the agency; or
(2) a private school recognized or approved for the purpose by the agency.

(b-1) A candidate may satisfy up to 15 hours of the field-based experience requirement under Subsection (b) by serving as a long-term substitute teacher as prescribed by board rule. Experience under this subsection may occur after the candidate’s admission to an educator preparation program or during the two years before the date the candidate is admitted to the program. The candidate’s experience in instructional or educational activities must be documented by the educator preparation program and must be obtained at:
(1) a public school campus accredited or approved for the purpose by the agency; or
(2) a private school recognized or approved for the purpose by the agency.
(c) Subsection (b) applies only to an initial certification issued on or after September 1, 2012. Subsection (b) does not affect:
(1) the validity of a certification issued before September 1, 2012; or
(2) the eligibility of a person who holds a certification issued before September 1, 2012, to obtain a subsequent renewal of the certification in accordance with board rule.
(d) Subsection (b) does not affect the period within which an individual must complete field-based experience hours as determined by board rule if the individual is not accepted into an educator preparation program before the deadline prescribed by board rule and is hired for a teaching assignment by a school district after the deadline prescribed by board rule.
(e) The board shall propose rules relating to the field-based experience required by Subsection (b). The commissioner by rule shall adopt procedures and standards for recognizing a private school under Subsection (b)(2).
(f) The board shall propose rules providing flexible options for persons for any field-based experience or internship required for certification, including options for candidate observations that provide for at least:
(1) two observations to occur in person and two additional observations to occur in virtual settings that are equivalent in rigor to in-person options for observation; or
(2) three observations to occur in person.
(f-1) The options required under Subsection (f) must, to the greatest extent practicable, involve interaction with a diverse student population, including students with disabilities.