By: Parker, Lucio S.B. No. 654 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to college board advanced placement tests and courses and 1-2 to establishing the Texas Advanced Placement Incentive Program. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Title 2, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-5 Chapter 35 to read as follows: 1-6 CHAPTER 35. ADVANCED PLACEMENT INCENTIVES 1-7 Sec. 35.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: 1-8 (1) "Board" means the State Board of Education. 1-9 (2) "College advanced placement course" means a 1-10 board-approved high-school-level preparatory course for a college 1-11 advanced placement test which incorporates all topics specified by 1-12 the College Board on its standard syllabus for a given subject 1-13 area. 1-14 (3) "College advanced placement test" means the 1-15 advanced placement test administered by the College Board and 1-16 Educational Testing Service. 1-17 (4) "College Board" means the College Board and 1-18 Educational Testing Service. 1-19 (5) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of 1-20 education. 1-21 (6) "Program" means the Texas Advanced Placement 1-22 Incentive Program. 1-23 Sec. 35.002. CREATION OF PROGRAM AND PURPOSE. (a) The 2-1 Texas Advanced Placement Incentive Program is created to recognize 2-2 and reward those students, teachers, and schools that demonstrate 2-3 success in achieving the educational goals of the state. 2-4 (b) Awards and subsidies granted under this chapter are for 2-5 the public purpose of promoting an educated citizenry of the state. 2-6 Sec. 35.003. TYPES OF AWARDS. (a) Subject to legislative 2-7 appropriations, schools participating in this program may be 2-8 awarded the following: 2-9 (1) a one-time $3,000 equipment grant for providing a 2-10 college advanced placement course, to be paid from available 2-11 amounts in the Foundation School Program's technology allotment; 2-12 and 2-13 (2) $100 for each student who scores a three or better 2-14 on a college advanced placement test. 2-15 (b) Subject to legislative appropriations, teachers 2-16 participating in this program may be awarded the following: 2-17 (1) subsidized teacher training, not to exceed $450 2-18 per teacher, for college advanced placement courses; 2-19 (2) a one-time award of $250 for teaching a college 2-20 advanced placement course for the first time; and 2-21 (3) a share of the teacher bonus pool, which shall be 2-22 distributed by the teachers' school in shares proportional to the 2-23 number of courses taught. 2-24 (c) To be eligible for an award under Subsection (b) of this 2-25 section a teacher must teach a college advanced placement course. 3-1 (d) Fifty dollars may be deposited in the teacher bonus pool 3-2 for each student enrolled in the school that scores a three or 3-3 better on an advanced placement test. 3-4 (e) Students receiving a score of three or better on an 3-5 advanced placement test may receive a reimbursement, not to exceed 3-6 $65, for the advanced placement testing fee. This reimbursement 3-7 shall be reduced by the amount of any subsidies awarded either by 3-8 the College Board or under Section 35.004 of this code. 3-9 (f) The commissioner shall analyze and adjust, as needed, 3-10 the sum of and number of awards to ensure that the purpose of the 3-11 program is realized. 3-12 (g) The commissioner shall have the authority to promulgate 3-13 the rules necessary to meet the goals of this program. 3-14 Sec. 35.004. SUBSIDIES FOR COLLEGE ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEST. 3-15 (a) A student is entitled to a subsidy for a fee paid by the 3-16 student to take a college advanced placement test if the student 3-17 demonstrates financial need. The board must adopt guidelines 3-18 defining financial need consistent with the definition of financial 3-19 need adopted by the College Board. 3-20 (b) To obtain a subsidy under this section, the student 3-21 must: 3-22 (1) pay the fee for each college advanced placement 3-23 test for which the student seeks a subsidy; and 3-24 (2) submit to the board through the student's guidance 3-25 counselor a written application on a form prescribed by the 4-1 commissioner demonstrating financial need and the amount of the fee 4-2 paid by the student for each college advanced placement test. 4-3 (c) On approval by the board, the Central Education Agency 4-4 may pay all eligible applicants an equal amount, not to exceed $25 4-5 for each applicant. 4-6 Sec. 35.005. APPLICATION FOR AND USE OF SCHOOL AWARDS. 4-7 (a) A school shall give priority to academic enhancement purposes 4-8 in using the awards received under this chapter. The awards may 4-9 not be used for any purpose related to athletics. 4-10 (b) To obtain an award under this section, the school must 4-11 submit to the board a written application in a form, manner, and 4-12 time prescribed by the commissioner. 4-13 Sec. 35.006. APPLICATION FOR TEACHER AWARDS AND 4-14 REIMBURSEMENTS. To obtain an award or reimbursement for training 4-15 expenses under this section, a teacher must submit to the board a 4-16 written application in a form, manner, and time prescribed by the 4-17 commissioner. 4-18 Sec. 35.007. FUNDING. (a) The awards and subsidies granted 4-19 under this chapter may be funded by donations, grants, or 4-20 legislative appropriations. The commissioner may solicit and 4-21 receive grants and donations for the purpose of making awards under 4-22 this chapter. The donations, grants, or legislative appropriations 4-23 shall be accounted for and distributed by the Central Education 4-24 Agency. 4-25 (b) The Central Education Agency shall apply to the program 5-1 any available funds from its appropriations which may be used for 5-2 this purpose. 5-3 (c) All awards and subsidies granted under this program are 5-4 subject to the availability of funds. 5-5 (d) Any applications for funding provided under Sections 5-6 35.003 and 35.004 of this code may be filed with the commissioner 5-7 beginning July 15, 1995. 5-8 Sec. 35.008. CONFIDENTIALITY. All information received by 5-9 the commissioner under this chapter from school districts and 5-10 students is deemed confidential under Chapter 424, Acts of the 63rd 5-11 Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 6252-17a, Vernon's 5-12 Texas Civil Statutes). 5-13 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1994. 5-14 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 5-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 5-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 5-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 5-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.