1-1 By: Parker S.B. No. 654 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 1993; March 9, 1993, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Education; March 24, 1993, 1-4 reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; 1-5 March 24, 1993, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE VOTE 1-7 Yea Nay PNV Absent 1-8 Ratliff x 1-9 Haley x 1-10 Barrientos x 1-11 Bivins x 1-12 Harris of Tarrant x 1-13 Luna x 1-14 Montford x 1-15 Shapiro x 1-16 Sibley x 1-17 Turner x 1-18 Zaffirini x 1-19 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-20 AN ACT 1-21 relating to college board advanced placement tests and courses and 1-22 to establishing the Texas Advanced Placement Incentive Program. 1-23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-24 SECTION 1. Title 2, Education Code, is amended by adding 1-25 Chapter 35 to read as follows: 1-26 CHAPTER 35. ADVANCED PLACEMENT INCENTIVES 1-27 Sec. 35.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: 1-28 (1) "Board" means the State Board of Education. 1-29 (2) "College advanced placement course" means a 1-30 board-approved high-school-level preparatory course for a college 1-31 advanced placement test which incorporates all topics specified by 1-32 the College Board on its standard syllabus for a given subject 1-33 area. 1-34 (3) "College advanced placement test" means the 1-35 advanced placement test administered by the College Board and 1-36 Educational Testing Service. 1-37 (4) "College Board" means the College Board and 1-38 Educational Testing Service. 1-39 (5) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of 1-40 education. 1-41 (6) "Program" means the Texas Advanced Placement 1-42 Incentive Program. 1-43 Sec. 35.002. CREATION OF PROGRAM AND PURPOSE. (a) The 1-44 Texas Advanced Placement Incentive Program is created to recognize 1-45 and reward those students, teachers, and schools that demonstrate 1-46 success in achieving the educational goals of the state. 1-47 (b) Awards and subsidies granted under this chapter are for 1-48 the public purpose of promoting an educated citizenry of the state. 1-49 Sec. 35.003. TYPES OF AWARDS. (a) Subject to legislative 1-50 appropriations, schools participating in this program may be 1-51 awarded the following: 1-52 (1) a one-time $3,000 equipment grant for providing a 1-53 college advanced placement course, to be paid from available 1-54 amounts in the Foundation School Program's technology allotment; 1-55 and 1-56 (2) $100 for each student who scores a three or better 1-57 on a college advanced placement test. 1-58 (b) Subject to legislative appropriations, teachers 1-59 participating in this program may be awarded the following: 1-60 (1) subsidized teacher training, not to exceed $450 1-61 per teacher, for college advanced placement courses; 1-62 (2) a one-time award of $250 for teaching a college 1-63 advanced placement course for the first time; and 1-64 (3) a share of the teacher bonus pool, which shall be 1-65 distributed by the teachers' school in shares proportional to the 1-66 number of courses taught. 1-67 (c) To be eligible for an award under Subsection (b) of this 1-68 section a teacher must teach a college advanced placement course. 2-1 (d) Fifty dollars may be deposited in the teacher bonus pool 2-2 for each student enrolled in the school that scores a three or 2-3 better on an advanced placement test. 2-4 (e) Students receiving a score of three or better on an 2-5 advanced placement test may receive a reimbursement, not to exceed 2-6 $65, for the advanced placement testing fee. This reimbursement 2-7 shall be reduced by the amount of any subsidies awarded either by 2-8 the College Board or under Section 35.004 of this code. 2-9 (f) The commissioner shall analyze and adjust, as needed, 2-10 the sum of and number of awards to ensure that the purpose of the 2-11 program is realized. 2-12 (g) The commissioner shall have the authority to promulgate 2-13 the rules necessary to meet the goals of this program. 2-14 Sec. 35.004. SUBSIDIES FOR COLLEGE ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEST. 2-15 (a) A student is entitled to a subsidy for a fee paid by the 2-16 student to take a college advanced placement test if the student 2-17 demonstrates financial need. The board must adopt guidelines 2-18 defining financial need consistent with the definition of financial 2-19 need adopted by the College Board. 2-20 (b) To obtain a subsidy under this section, the student 2-21 must: 2-22 (1) pay the fee for each college advanced placement 2-23 test for which the student seeks a subsidy; and 2-24 (2) submit to the board through the student's guidance 2-25 counselor a written application on a form prescribed by the 2-26 commissioner demonstrating financial need and the amount of the fee 2-27 paid by the student for each college advanced placement test. 2-28 (c) On approval by the board, the Central Education Agency 2-29 may pay all eligible applicants an equal amount, not to exceed $25 2-30 for each applicant. 2-31 Sec. 35.005. APPLICATION FOR AND USE OF SCHOOL AWARDS. 2-32 (a) A school shall give priority to academic enhancement purposes 2-33 in using the awards received under this chapter. The awards may 2-34 not be used for any purpose related to athletics. 2-35 (b) To obtain an award under this section, the school must 2-36 submit to the board a written application in a form, manner, and 2-37 time prescribed by the commissioner. 2-38 Sec. 35.006. APPLICATION FOR TEACHER AWARDS AND 2-39 REIMBURSEMENTS. To obtain an award or reimbursement for training 2-40 expenses under this section, a teacher must submit to the board a 2-41 written application in a form, manner, and time prescribed by the 2-42 commissioner. 2-43 Sec. 35.007. FUNDING. (a) The awards and subsidies granted 2-44 under this chapter may be funded by donations, grants, or 2-45 legislative appropriations. The commissioner may solicit and 2-46 receive grants and donations for the purpose of making awards under 2-47 this chapter. The donations, grants, or legislative appropriations 2-48 shall be accounted for and distributed by the Central Education 2-49 Agency. 2-50 (b) The Central Education Agency shall apply to the program 2-51 any available funds from its appropriations which may be used for 2-52 this purpose. 2-53 (c) All awards and subsidies granted under this program are 2-54 subject to the availability of funds. 2-55 (d) Any applications for funding provided under Sections 2-56 35.003 and 35.004 of this code may be filed with the commissioner 2-57 beginning July 15, 1995. 2-58 Sec. 35.008. CONFIDENTIALITY. All information received by 2-59 the commissioner under this chapter from school districts and 2-60 students is deemed confidential under Chapter 424, Acts of the 63rd 2-61 Legislature, Regular Session, 1973 (Article 6252-17a, Vernon's 2-62 Texas Civil Statutes). 2-63 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1994. 2-64 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-65 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-66 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-67 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-68 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 2-69 * * * * * 2-70 Austin, 3-1 Texas 3-2 March 24, 1993 3-3 Hon. Bob Bullock 3-4 President of the Senate 3-5 Sir: 3-6 We, your Committee on Education to which was referred S.B. No. 654, 3-7 have had the same under consideration, and I am instructed to 3-8 report it back to the Senate with the recommendation that it do 3-9 pass and be printed. 3-10 Ratliff, 3-11 Chairman 3-12 * * * * * 3-13 WITNESSES 3-14 FOR AGAINST ON 3-15 ___________________________________________________________________ 3-16 Name: Laura Allard x 3-17 Representing: Students Member Com on Student 3-18 City: Austin 3-19 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-20 Name: Robert A. Goodman x 3-21 Representing: 3-22 City: Bryan 3-23 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-24 Name: Paul Williamson x 3-25 Representing: College Board 3-26 City: Austin 3-27 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-28 Name: Douglas Art x 3-29 Representing: Duncanville ISD 3-30 City: Duncanville 3-31 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-32 Name: Augustine Garza 3-33 Representing: UT Austin 3-34 City: Austin 3-35 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-36 Name: Joe L. Arriaga x 3-37 Representing: Southside High School 3-38 City: San Antonio 3-39 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-40 Name: Robert Beck Clark x 3-41 Representing: 3-42 City: College Station 3-43 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-44 Name: Ann Fickel x 3-45 Representing: Tx Classroom Teachers Assoc 3-46 City: Austin 3-47 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-48 Name: Evelyn Hiatt x 3-49 Representing: Tx Education Agency 3-50 City: Austin 3-51 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-52 Name: Pat Hanks x 3-53 Representing: Assoc of Tx Prof. Educators 3-54 City: Austin 3-55 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-56 Name: Lamont Veatch x 3-57 Representing: TX Assoc of Sec. School Prin 3-58 City: Austin 3-59 -------------------------------------------------------------------