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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to personal financial literacy and career skills courses |
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for high school students in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 8.051(d), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) Each regional education service center shall maintain |
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core services for purchase by school districts and campuses. The |
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core services are: |
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(1) training and assistance in: |
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(A) teaching each subject area assessed under |
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Section 39.023; and |
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(B) providing instruction in personal financial |
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literacy and career skills as required under Section 28.0021; |
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(2) training and assistance in providing a gifted and |
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talented program and each program that qualifies for a funding |
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allotment under Section 48.102, 48.104, or 48.105; |
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(3) assistance specifically designed for a school |
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district or campus assigned an unacceptable performance rating |
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under Section 39.054; |
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(4) training and assistance to teachers, |
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administrators, members of district boards of trustees, and members |
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of site-based decision-making committees; |
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(5) assistance specifically designed for a school |
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district that is considered out of compliance with state or federal |
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special education requirements, based on the agency's most recent |
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compliance review of the district's special education programs; and |
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(6) assistance in complying with state laws and rules. |
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SECTION 2. The heading to Section 28.0021, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.0021. PERSONAL FINANCIAL LITERACY AND CAREER |
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SKILLS. |
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SECTION 3. Section 28.0021, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b) Each school district and each open-enrollment charter |
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school that offers a high school program shall provide a [an |
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elective] course in personal financial literacy and career skills |
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that meets the requirements for [a one-half elective] credit under |
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Section 28.025, using materials approved by the State Board of |
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Education. The course may be offered as a distinct course in |
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personal financial literacy and career skills or as an elective |
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course or existing course that includes instruction in personal |
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financial literacy and career skills sufficient to meet the |
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requirements for one-half credit under Section 28.025(b-1)(9). The |
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instruction in personal financial literacy and career skills must |
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include instruction on: |
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(1) completing the application for federal student aid |
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provided by the United States Department of Education; |
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(2) the financial consequences of failing to make |
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timely student loan payments; |
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(3) the effect of student loan debt on a person's |
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finances; |
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(4) the circumstances in which student loans are |
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dischargeable in bankruptcy; |
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(5) completing and filing an income tax return; |
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(6) managing a credit score; |
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(7) managing and paying down a mortgage; |
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(8) creating a resume; and |
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(9) preparing for a job interview. |
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(c) In fulfilling the requirement to provide financial |
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literacy and career skills instruction under this section, a school |
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district or open-enrollment charter school may use an existing |
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state, federal, private, or nonprofit program that provides |
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students without charge the instruction described under this |
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section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 28.0024(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A school district or open-enrollment charter school may |
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establish a school-based savings program to facilitate increased |
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awareness of the importance of saving for higher education and |
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facilitate personal financial literacy and career skills |
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instruction. A district or school may offer the program in |
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conjunction with a personal financial literacy and career skills |
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course under Section 28.0021. |
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SECTION 5. Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b-1) The State Board of Education by rule shall require |
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that the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school |
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program under Subsection (a) include a requirement that students |
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successfully complete: |
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(1) four credits in English language arts under |
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Section 28.002(a)(1)(A), including one credit in English I, one |
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credit in English II, one credit in English III, and one credit in |
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an advanced English course authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(2) three credits in mathematics under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(B), including one credit in Algebra I, one credit in |
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geometry, and one credit in any advanced mathematics course |
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authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(3) three credits in science under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(C), including one credit in biology, one credit in any |
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advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2), and one |
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credit in integrated physics and chemistry or in an additional |
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advanced science course authorized under Subsection (b-2); |
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(4) three credits in social studies under Section |
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28.002(a)(1)(D), including one credit in United States history, at |
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least one-half credit in government and at least one-half credit in |
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economics, and one credit in world geography or world history; |
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(5) except as provided under Subsections (b-12), |
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(b-13), and (b-14), two credits in the same language in a language |
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other than English under Section 28.002(a)(2)(A); |
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(6) four and one-half [five] elective credits; |
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(7) one credit in fine arts under Section |
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28.002(a)(2)(D); [and] |
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(8) except as provided by Subsection (b-11), one |
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credit in physical education under Section 28.002(a)(2)(C); and |
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(9) at least one-half credit in personal financial |
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literacy and career skills under Section 28.0021. |
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SECTION 6. Section 29.917(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the |
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commissioner may award grants to organizations that provide |
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volunteers to teach classroom or after-school programs to enhance: |
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(1) college readiness; |
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(2) workforce readiness; |
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(3) dropout prevention; or |
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(4) personal financial literacy and career skills. |
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SECTION 7. Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, as amended |
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by this Act, applies only to students entering the ninth grade |
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during the 2021-2022 school year or a later school year. For |
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students entering a grade above ninth grade during the 2021-2022 |
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school year, Section 28.025(b-1), Education Code, as that section |
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existed before amendment by this Act, applies, and that section is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |