SRC-DPW S.B. 1026 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1026
76R8654 CAS-DBy: Brown
Education
3/29/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) provides degree-related
paid employment to about 150 college students annually.  A student's work
tours are alternated with periods of full time study at a the student's
college or university.  This bill would authorize the state to expand the
federal college and university level cooperative education programs at
NASA-JSC, and allow the state to create a high school cooperative education
program at the facility. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1026 authorizes the Texas Space Grant Consortium to
establish cooperative programs with school districts and institutions of
higher education. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 29F, Education Code, by adding Section 29.187, as
follows: 

Sec. 29.187. TEXAS SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM COOPERATIVE PROGRAM. Authorizes
the Texas Space Grant Consortium (consortium) to establish cooperatives
with school districts to employ high school students to work on a part-time
basis at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (JSC).  Requires JSC to place, supervise, and evaluate
each participant in the cooperative program.  Requires school districts to
ensure that students enrolled in the program perform work related to
certain fields of study and consult with the State Board of Education to
determine the number and type of credits given for participation in the
program.  Authorizes the consortium to use state funds, gifts, grants and
donations for establishing and coordinating the program.  Provides that a
student is considered to be attending school for the purposes of Section
25.085, while working at JSC. 

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 51Z, Education Code, by adding Section 51.9305,
as follows: 

Sec. 51.9305. TEXAS SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM COOPERATIVE PROGRAM. Authorizes
the consortium to establish a cooperative program with one or more
institution of higher education to employ students during the academic year
or between academic terms, at JSC.  Requires the Texas Higher Education
Coordinative Board and an institution of higher education in which a
participating student is enrolled, to establish certain guidelines for the
cooperative program.  Defines an "institution of higher education."  Makes
conforming changes. 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause. 
  Effective date: upon passage.