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 -------------------------------------------------------------------