| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to financial support and incentives for comprehensive |
|
|
regional universities. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 62.003(1), Education Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(1) Except as otherwise provided by Subchapters C, D, |
|
|
E, F, [and] G, and I, "eligible institution" means the eligible |
|
|
agencies and institutions of higher education listed in Article |
|
|
VII, Section 17(b), of the Constitution of Texas, and any |
|
|
institution or agency of higher education that is later made |
|
|
eligible to participate in the disbursement of funds pursuant to |
|
|
Article VII, Section 17(c), of the Constitution of Texas. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Chapter 62, Education Code, is amended by adding |
|
|
Subchapter I to read as follows: |
|
|
SUBCHAPTER I. COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL UNIVERSITY FUNDING |
|
|
Sec. 62.181. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
|
|
(1) "At-risk student" means an undergraduate student |
|
|
of an eligible institution: |
|
|
(A) whose score on the SAT or ACT assessment test |
|
|
is less than the national mean score of students' scores on that |
|
|
test; or |
|
|
(B) who has previously received a grant under the |
|
|
federal Pell Grant program. |
|
|
(2) "Eligible institution" means an institution of |
|
|
higher education designated as a comprehensive university, |
|
|
doctoral university, or master's university under the coordinating |
|
|
board's accountability system. |
|
|
Sec. 62.182. PURPOSE. The purpose of this subchapter is to |
|
|
provide funding to each eligible institution to support the |
|
|
institution in serving at-risk students, helping meet the state's |
|
|
workforce needs, and enhancing the institution's regional economy. |
|
|
Sec. 62.183. FUNDING. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), for |
|
|
each state fiscal biennium, an eligible institution is entitled to |
|
|
receive an amount equal to the sum of: |
|
|
(1) a base amount of $500,000 or a greater base amount |
|
|
provided by appropriation; and |
|
|
(2) the product of $1,000 or a greater amount provided |
|
|
by appropriation and the average number of at-risk students awarded |
|
|
a degree by the institution each year during the three state fiscal |
|
|
years preceding the biennium. |
|
|
(b) An alternative method of allocating funding under this |
|
|
section may be provided by appropriation. |
|
|
Sec. 62.184. STUDY AND REPORT. (a) The coordinating board, |
|
|
in consultation with a representative group of eligible |
|
|
institutions, shall conduct a study on the method of funding |
|
|
provided under Section 62.183 to determine that method's |
|
|
effectiveness in: |
|
|
(1) allocating state funds fairly and equitably; and |
|
|
(2) promoting student success at eligible |
|
|
institutions. |
|
|
(b) Not later than September 1, 2022, the coordinating board |
|
|
shall submit to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board a |
|
|
report on the results of the study and any recommendations for |
|
|
legislative or other action. |
|
|
(c) This section expires September 1, 2023. |
|
|
SECTION 3. An eligible institution is entitled to receive |
|
|
funding under Section 62.183, Education Code, as added by this Act, |
|
|
beginning with the first state fiscal biennium for which money is |
|
|
appropriated for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |