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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to measures to support public secondary and postsecondary |
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American history and civics education, including the satisfaction |
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of curriculum requirements in American History at institutions of |
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higher education and the establishment of the American History and |
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Civics Project. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.302(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a college or |
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university receiving state support or state aid from public funds |
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may not grant a baccalaureate degree or a lesser degree or academic |
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certificate to any person unless the person has credit for six |
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semester hours or its equivalent in American History. A student is |
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entitled to submit as much as three semester hours of credit or its |
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equivalent in Texas History in partial satisfaction of this |
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requirement. The college or university shall ensure that a student |
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may satisfy this requirement by successfully completing survey |
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courses that address the major themes of American history from the |
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nation's founding onward. The college or university may determine |
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that a student has satisfied this requirement in whole or part on |
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the basis of credit granted to the student by the college or |
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university for a substantially equivalent course completed at |
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another accredited college or university, or on the basis of the |
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student's successful completion of an advanced standing |
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examination administered on the conditions and under the |
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circumstances common for the college or university's advanced |
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standing examinations. The college or university may grant as much |
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as three semester hours of credit or its equivalent toward |
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satisfaction of this requirement for substantially equivalent work |
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completed by a student in the program of an approved senior R.O.T.C. |
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unit. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0518 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0518. AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS PROJECT. (a) In |
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this section, "project" means the American History and Civics |
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Project. |
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(b) The board, in consultation with institutions of higher |
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education, shall establish the American History and Civics Project |
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to: |
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(1) strengthen American history and civics education |
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at public high schools and institutions of higher education; and |
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(2) encourage the development and effective use of |
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high-quality digital content and professional development |
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materials for use in American history and civics education at |
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public high schools and institutions of higher education. |
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(c) The board shall convene an expert commission of scholars |
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and educators to assist in the creation of the project. |
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(d) Using funds appropriated or otherwise available for |
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purposes of the project, the board shall award grants to |
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individuals with relevant subject matter expertise, school |
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districts, or institutions of higher education to recommend and |
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develop digital content and professional development materials for |
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use in American history and civics education at public high schools |
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and institutions of higher education. |
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(e) Digital content recommended or developed using a grant |
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awarded under Subsection (d) may include interactive and |
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audiovisual resources, assignments, and model syllabuses that: |
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(1) address the major themes of American history from |
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the nation's founding onward; and |
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(2) may be used in the delivery of: |
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(A) survey courses offered by institutions of |
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higher education; |
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(B) dual credit or dual enrollment courses |
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offered by public high schools or institutions of higher education; |
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or |
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(C) public high school courses for which students |
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may receive credit that satisfies all or part of the requirements |
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under Section 51.302(b). |
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(f) To encourage the effective use of digital content |
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recommended or developed using a grant awarded under Subsection |
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(d), the board shall, using funds appropriated or otherwise |
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available for purposes of the project, support the establishment of |
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a professional development program for individuals who teach one or |
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more American history and civics courses, including a dual credit |
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or dual enrollment course, at a public high school or institution of |
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higher education. The professional development program may include |
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an annual statewide conference. |
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(g) The board shall include in the state repository of open |
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educational resources developed under Section 61.0670 any digital |
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content or professional development materials developed using a |
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grant awarded under Subsection (d). |
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(h) The board may adopt rules necessary to implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |