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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to measures to facilitate the successful completion of |
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degree and certificate programs by certain adult learners at public |
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institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter R to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER R. TEXAS RECOVERY ACT |
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Sec. 61.801. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Adult learner" means a person who: |
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(A) is at least 25 years of age but not older than |
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34 years of age; and |
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(B) within the preceding 48 months, has achieved |
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at least 75 percent completion of a baccalaureate or associate |
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degree or certificate program. |
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(2) "Texas WORKS internship program" means the Texas |
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Working Off-Campus: Reinforcing Knowledge and Skills (WORKS) |
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Internship Program established under Subchapter E-1, Chapter 56. |
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Sec. 61.802. TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANT FOR ADULT LEARNERS. |
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(a) For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the board shall |
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provide to each adult learner enrolled in a baccalaureate or |
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associate degree or certificate program at an institution of higher |
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education a grant for each semester or term in the amount equal to |
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25 percent of the average statewide amount of tuition and required |
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fees that a resident student enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate |
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or associate degree or certificate program, as applicable, would be |
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charged for that semester or term at the type of institution of |
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higher education at which the adult learner is enrolled. |
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(b) An adult learner receiving a grant under this section |
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may use the money only to pay the cost of tuition or required fees |
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for the baccalaureate or associate degree or certificate program in |
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which the adult learner is enrolled at an institution of higher |
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education. |
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Sec. 61.803. INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR ADULT LEARNERS. (a) For |
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the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2023, the board |
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shall distribute incentive funding to each institution of higher |
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education based on the number of adult learners enrolled at the |
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institution who, during the preceding state fiscal biennium: |
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(1) timely completed: |
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(A) a baccalaureate or associate degree program |
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in accordance with the adult learner's degree plan; or |
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(B) a certificate program, as established by |
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board rule; or |
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(2) received a baccalaureate or associate degree or |
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certificate in a target field, as established by board rule. |
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(b) Subject to the availability of funds, the amount of |
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incentive funding distributed per qualifying adult learner to an |
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institution of higher education under this section for a state |
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fiscal biennium may not be less than the amount of funding provided |
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per student for that biennium for achievement of an equivalent |
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student success measure under Section 61.0593(f), Education Code. |
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Sec. 61.804. FINAL SEMESTER INTERNSHIPS FOR ADULT LEARNERS. |
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(a) For the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 academic years, the board shall |
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collaborate with employers who participate in the Texas WORKS |
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internship program to ensure that: |
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(1) employers give priority in employment under that |
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program to adult learners in the final semester of a baccalaureate |
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or associate degree or certificate program at an institution of |
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higher education; and |
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(2) each adult learner employed through that program |
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during the adult learner's final semester of a baccalaureate or |
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associate degree or certificate program at an institution of higher |
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education receives an additional $2,500 stipend as part of the |
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adult learner's wages under that program. |
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(b) The board shall certify internships provided through |
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the Texas WORKS internship program through which an adult learner |
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may earn course credit toward the adult learner's baccalaureate or |
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associate degree or certificate program, as applicable. |
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Sec. 61.805. GRAD TX PROGRAM. The board shall establish the |
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Grad TX program in collaboration with institutions of higher |
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education to support the reskilling, upskilling, and high-value |
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degree or certificate program completion of adult learners. The |
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program may include: |
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(1) academic and career advising; |
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(2) assistance with available student financial aid |
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options; and |
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(3) flexible degree or certificate programs designed |
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for adult learners. |
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Sec. 61.806. LIMITATION. (a) The total amount spent under |
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this subchapter may not exceed $50 million. |
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(b) If the total cost of providing grants, incentive |
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funding, or stipends to all eligible adult learners or institutions |
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of higher education under this subchapter would exceed the amount |
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that may be spent under Subsection (a), the board shall reduce the |
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amount of each grant, incentive funding award, and stipend as |
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necessary to comply with that subsection. |
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Sec. 61.807. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may |
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accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private |
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source for purposes of this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.808. REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each |
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year, the board shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives a report |
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on the status and effectiveness of the measures established under |
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this subchapter. |
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Sec. 61.809. RULES. The board may adopt rules as necessary |
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to implement this subchapter. In adopting rules, the board shall |
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consult with institutions of higher education, the Texas Workforce |
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Commission, members of the business community, and other relevant |
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stakeholders. |
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Sec. 61.810. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires September |
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1, 2025. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2022, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall submit the board's initial |
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report required under Section 61.808, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is |
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required to implement a provision of this Act only if the |
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legislature appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If |
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the legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the coordinating board may, but is not required to, |
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implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations |
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available for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. 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. |
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