By: Paxton, West S.B. No. 346

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the participation of open-enrollment charter schools and eligible nonprofit organizations in the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 134.004, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 134.004. JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall establish and administer the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program to provide grants to public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, eligible nonprofit organizations, and independent school districts and open-enrollment charter schools described under Section 134.007 that apply to the advisory board in the manner prescribed by the advisory board. The commission shall award the grants on the advice and recommendations of the advisory board.

(b) Grants may be awarded under this chapter from the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) fund to defray the start-up costs associated with the development of new career and technical education programs at public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, and independent school districts and open-enrollment charter schools described under Section 134.007 that meet the requirements of Section 134.006.

SECTION 2. Section 134.001, Education Code, is amended by adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows:

(1-a) "Nonprofit organization" means an organization exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described by Section 501(c)(3) of that code.

SECTION 3. Chapter 134, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 134.005 to read as follows:

Sec. 134.005. GRANTS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR INNOVATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS. (a) The commission may award a grant to a nonprofit organization eligible under Subsection (b) for the development, support, or expansion of programs to prepare low-income students for careers in high-demand occupations.

(b) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a nonprofit organization must:

(1) provide a program to offer assistance to low-income students in preparing for, applying to and enrolling in a public junior college or public technical institute;

(2) be governed by a board or other governing structure that includes recognized leaders of broad-based community organizations and members of the local business community;

(3) demonstrate to the satisfaction of the advisory board that the organization's program has achieved or will achieve the following measures of success among program participants to the extent applicable to the type of program the organization provides:

(A) above-average completion of developmental education among participating public junior college or public technical institute students;

(B) above-average persistence rates among participating public junior college or public technical institute students;

(C) above-average certificate or degree completion rates by participating students within a three-year period compared to demographically comparable public junior college and public technical institute students; and

(D) employment of participating students at an average full-time starting wage that is equal to or greater than the prevailing wage for the occupation entered; and

(4) provide matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Section 134.008.

(c) The matching funds required under Subsection (b)(4) may be obtained from any source available to the nonprofit organization, including in-kind contributions, community or foundation grants, individual contributions, and local governmental agency operating funds.

(d) Grants awarded under this section must be awarded in a manner that takes a balanced geographical distribution into consideration.

SECTION 4. Sections 134.006(a) and (d), Education Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) The commission may award a grant for the development of new career and technical education courses or programs at public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, [and] independent school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools.

(d) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a public junior college, public technical institute, public state college, or independent school district or open-enrollment charter school described under Section 134.007 must provide matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Section 134.008. The matching funds may be obtained from any source available to the public junior college, public technical institute, public state college, [or] independent school district, or open-enrollment charter school, including industry consortia, community or foundation grants, individual contributions, and local governmental agency operating funds.

SECTION 5. Section 134.007, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 134.007. GRANTS AWARDED TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OR OPEN-ENROLLMENT CHARTER SCHOOL. The commission may award a grant to an independent school district or open-enrollment charter school under this chapter if the district or school has entered into a partnership with a public junior college, public technical institute, or public state college for the purpose of:

(1) promoting career and technical education to the district's or school's students; or

(2) offering dual credit courses to the district's or school's students.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.