1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment and operation of the Toward
1-3 EXcellence, Access, & Success (TEXAS) grant program and the Teach
1-4 for Texas Grant Program; consolidating and revising financial aid,
1-5 grant, and scholarship programs; and providing for the education,
1-6 certification, and recruitment of teachers and faculty instructors.
1-7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-8 SECTION 1. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-9 Subchapter M to read as follows:
1-10 SUBCHAPTER M. TOWARD EXCELLENCE, ACCESS, & SUCCESS (TEXAS) GRANT
1-11 PROGRAM AND TEACH FOR TEXAS GRANT PROGRAM
1-12 Sec. 56.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-13 (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
1-14 Education Coordinating Board.
1-15 (2) "Eligible institution" means:
1-16 (A) an institution of higher education; or
1-17 (B) a private or independent institution of
1-18 higher education.
1-19 (3) "Private or independent institution of higher
1-20 education," "public junior college," and "public technical
1-21 institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
1-22 Sec. 56.302. PROGRAM NAME; PURPOSE. (a) The student
1-23 financial assistance program authorized by this subchapter is known
1-24 as the Toward EXcellence, Access, & Success (TEXAS) grant program,
2-1 and an individual grant awarded under this subchapter is known as a
2-2 TEXAS grant.
2-3 (b) The purpose of this subchapter is to provide a grant of
2-4 money to enable eligible students to attend public and private
2-5 institutions of higher education in this state.
2-6 Sec. 56.303. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. (a) The
2-7 coordinating board shall administer the TEXAS grant program and
2-8 shall adopt any rules necessary to implement the TEXAS grant
2-9 program or this subchapter. The coordinating board shall consult
2-10 with the student financial aid officers of eligible institutions in
2-11 developing the rules.
2-12 (b) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to provide a
2-13 TEXAS grant to an eligible student enrolled in an eligible
2-14 institution in the most efficient manner possible.
2-15 (c) The total amount of TEXAS grants awarded may not exceed
2-16 the amount available for the program from appropriations, gifts,
2-17 grants, or other funds.
2-18 (d) In determining who should receive a TEXAS grant, the
2-19 coordinating board and the eligible institutions shall give highest
2-20 priority to awarding TEXAS grants to students who demonstrate the
2-21 greatest financial need.
2-22 Sec. 56.304. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. (a) To be
2-23 eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person must:
2-24 (1) be a resident of this state as determined by
2-25 coordinating board rules;
2-26 (2) meet either of the following academic
2-27 requirements:
3-1 (A) be a graduate of a public or accredited
3-2 private high school in this state who graduated not earlier than
3-3 the 1998-1999 school year and who completed the recommended or
3-4 advanced high school curriculum established under Section 28.002 or
3-5 28.025 or its equivalent; or
3-6 (B) have received an associate degree from an
3-7 eligible institution not earlier than May 1, 2001;
3-8 (3) meet financial need requirements as defined by the
3-9 coordinating board;
3-10 (4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or
3-11 certificate program at an eligible institution;
3-12 (5) be enrolled as:
3-13 (A) an entering undergraduate student for at
3-14 least three-fourths of a full course load for an entering
3-15 undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, not
3-16 later than the 16th month after the date of the person's graduation
3-17 from high school; or
3-18 (B) an entering student for at least
3-19 three-fourths of a full course load for an undergraduate student as
3-20 determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month
3-21 after the month the person receives an associate degree from an
3-22 eligible institution;
3-23 (6) have applied for any available financial aid or
3-24 assistance; and
3-25 (7) comply with any additional nonacademic requirement
3-26 adopted by the coordinating board under this subchapter.
3-27 (b) A person is not eligible to receive a TEXAS grant if the
4-1 person has been convicted of a felony or an offense under Chapter
4-2 481, Health and Safety Code (Texas Controlled Substances Act), or
4-3 under the law of another jurisdiction involving a controlled
4-4 substance as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, unless
4-5 the person has met the other applicable eligibility requirements
4-6 under this subchapter and has:
4-7 (1) received a certificate of discharge by the Texas
4-8 Department of Criminal Justice or a correctional facility or
4-9 completed a period of probation ordered by a court, and at least
4-10 two years have elapsed from the date of the receipt or completion;
4-11 or
4-12 (2) been pardoned, had the record of the offense
4-13 expunged from the person's record, or otherwise has been released
4-14 from the resulting ineligibility to receive a grant under this
4-15 subchapter.
4-16 (c) A person is not eligible to receive a TEXAS grant if the
4-17 person has been granted a baccalaureate degree.
4-18 (d) A person may not receive a TEXAS grant for more than
4-19 150 semester credit hours or the equivalent.
4-20 (e) A person's eligibility for a TEXAS grant ends on the
4-21 sixth anniversary of the initial award of a TEXAS grant to the
4-22 person and the person's enrollment in an eligible institution.
4-23 (f) The requirement in Subsection (a)(2) that a person must
4-24 have completed the recommended or advanced high school curriculum
4-25 does not apply to a person who:
4-26 (1) attended a public high school in a school district
4-27 if that district certifies to the commissioner of education that
5-1 the high school did not offer all the necessary courses for a
5-2 person to complete all parts of the recommended or advanced high
5-3 school curriculum; and
5-4 (2) completed all courses at the high school offered
5-5 toward the completion of the recommended or advanced high school
5-6 curriculum.
5-7 (g) Not later than March 1 of each year, the commissioner of
5-8 education shall provide to the coordinating board a list of all the
5-9 public high schools that do not offer all the courses necessary to
5-10 complete all parts of the recommended or advanced high school
5-11 curriculum as described by Subsection (f)(1).
5-12 (h) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a
5-13 person who is otherwise eligible to receive a TEXAS grant, in the
5-14 event of a hardship or for other good cause shown, including a
5-15 showing of a severe illness or other debilitating condition that
5-16 may affect the person's academic performance or that the person is
5-17 responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and
5-18 that the person's provision of care may affect the person's
5-19 academic performance, to receive a TEXAS grant while enrolled in a
5-20 number of semester credit hours that is less than the number of
5-21 semester credit hours required under Subsection (a)(5). The
5-22 coordinating board may not allow a person to receive a TEXAS grant
5-23 while enrolled in fewer than six semester credit hours.
5-24 Sec. 56.305. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
5-25 REQUIREMENTS. (a) After initially qualifying for a TEXAS grant, a
5-26 person may continue to receive a TEXAS grant during each semester
5-27 or term in which the person is enrolled at an eligible institution
6-1 only if the person:
6-2 (1) meets financial need requirements as defined by
6-3 the coordinating board;
6-4 (2) is enrolled in an undergraduate degree or
6-5 certificate program at an eligible institution;
6-6 (3) is enrolled for at least three-fourths of a full
6-7 course load for an undergraduate student, as determined by the
6-8 coordinating board;
6-9 (4) makes satisfactory academic progress toward an
6-10 undergraduate degree or certificate; and
6-11 (5) complies with any additional nonacademic
6-12 requirement adopted by the coordinating board.
6-13 (b) A person is not eligible to continue to receive a TEXAS
6-14 grant under this section if the person has been convicted of a
6-15 felony or an offense under Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code
6-16 (Texas Controlled Substances Act), or under the law of another
6-17 jurisdiction involving a controlled substance as defined by Chapter
6-18 481, Health and Safety Code, unless the person has met the other
6-19 applicable eligibility requirements under this subchapter and has:
6-20 (1) received a certificate of discharge by the Texas
6-21 Department of Criminal Justice or a correctional facility or
6-22 completed a period of probation ordered by a court, and at least
6-23 two years have elapsed from the date of the receipt or completion;
6-24 or
6-25 (2) been pardoned, had the record of the offense
6-26 expunged from the person's record, or otherwise has been released
6-27 from the resulting ineligibility to receive a grant under this
7-1 subchapter.
7-2 (c) If a person fails to meet any of the requirements of
7-3 Subsection (a) after the completion of any semester or term, the
7-4 person may not receive a TEXAS grant during the next semester or
7-5 term in which the person enrolls. A person may become eligible to
7-6 receive a TEXAS grant in a subsequent semester or term if the
7-7 person:
7-8 (1) completes a semester or term during which the
7-9 student is not eligible for a scholarship; and
7-10 (2) meets all the requirements of Subsection (a).
7-11 (d) A person who qualifies for and subsequently receives a
7-12 TEXAS grant, who receives an undergraduate certificate or associate
7-13 degree, and who, not later than the 12th month after the month the
7-14 person receives the certificate or degree, enrolls in a program
7-15 leading to a higher-level undergraduate degree continues to be
7-16 eligible for a TEXAS grant to the extent other eligibility
7-17 requirements are met.
7-18 (e) For the purpose of this section, a person makes
7-19 satisfactory academic progress toward an undergraduate degree or
7-20 certificate only if:
7-21 (1) in the person's first academic year the person
7-22 meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the
7-23 institution at which the person is enrolled; and
7-24 (2) in a subsequent academic year, the person:
7-25 (A) completes at least 75 percent of the
7-26 semester credit hours attempted in the student's most recent
7-27 academic year; and
8-1 (B) earns an overall grade point average of at
8-2 least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on coursework
8-3 previously attempted at institutions of higher education.
8-4 (f) A person who is eligible to receive a TEXAS grant
8-5 continues to remain eligible to receive the TEXAS grant if the
8-6 person enrolls in or transfers to another eligible institution.
8-7 (g) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a
8-8 person who is otherwise eligible to receive a TEXAS grant, in the
8-9 event of a hardship or for other good cause shown, including a
8-10 showing of a severe illness or other debilitating condition that
8-11 may affect the person's academic performance or that the person is
8-12 responsible for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person and
8-13 that the person's provision of care may affect the person's
8-14 academic performance, to receive a TEXAS grant while enrolled in a
8-15 number of semester credit hours that is less than the number of
8-16 semester credit hours required under Subsection (a)(3). The
8-17 coordinating board may not allow a person to receive a TEXAS grant
8-18 while enrolled in fewer than six semester credit hours.
8-19 Sec. 56.306. GRANT USE. A person receiving a TEXAS grant
8-20 may use the money to pay any usual and customary cost of attendance
8-21 at an institution of higher education incurred by the student. The
8-22 institution may disburse all or part of the proceeds of a TEXAS
8-23 grant to an eligible person only if the tuition and required fees
8-24 incurred by the person at the institution have been paid.
8-25 Sec. 56.307. GRANT AMOUNT. (a) The amount of a TEXAS grant
8-26 for a semester or term for a person enrolled full-time at an
8-27 eligible institution other than an institution covered by
9-1 Subsection (b), (c), or (d) is the amount determined by the
9-2 coordinating board as the average statewide amount of tuition and
9-3 required fees that a resident student enrolled full-time in a
9-4 baccalaureate degree program would be charged for that semester or
9-5 term at general academic teaching institutions.
9-6 (b) The amount of a TEXAS grant for a student enrolled
9-7 full-time at a private or independent institution of higher
9-8 education is the amount determined by the coordinating board as the
9-9 average statewide amount of tuition and required fees that a
9-10 resident student enrolled full-time in a baccalaureate degree
9-11 program would be charged for that semester or term at general
9-12 academic teaching institutions.
9-13 (c) The amount of a TEXAS grant for a student enrolled
9-14 full-time at a public technical institute is the amount determined
9-15 by the coordinating board as the average statewide amount of
9-16 tuition and required fees that a resident student enrolled
9-17 full-time in an associate degree or certificate program would be
9-18 charged for that semester or term at public technical institutes.
9-19 (d) The amount of a TEXAS grant for a student enrolled
9-20 full-time at a public junior college is the amount determined by
9-21 the coordinating board as the average statewide amount of tuition
9-22 and required fees that a student who is a resident of the junior
9-23 college district and is enrolled full-time in an associate degree
9-24 or certificate program would be charged for that semester or term
9-25 at public junior colleges.
9-26 (e) The coordinating board may adopt rules that allow the
9-27 coordinating board to increase or decrease, in proportion to the
10-1 number of semester credit hours in which a student is enrolled, the
10-2 amount of a TEXAS grant award under this section to a student who
10-3 is enrolled in a number of semester credit hours in excess of or
10-4 below the number of semester credit hours described in Section
10-5 56.304(a)(5) or 56.305(a)(3).
10-6 (f) The amount of a TEXAS grant may not be reduced by any
10-7 gift aid for which the person receiving the grant is eligible,
10-8 unless the total amount of a person's grant plus any gift aid
10-9 received exceeds the total cost of attendance at an eligible
10-10 institution.
10-11 (g) Not later than January 31 of each year, the coordinating
10-12 board shall publish the amounts of each grant established by the
10-13 board for each type of institution for the academic year beginning
10-14 the next fall semester.
10-15 (h) The total amount of grants that a student may receive in
10-16 an academic year under this subchapter and under Section 61.221 may
10-17 not exceed the maximum amount authorized under Section 61.227.
10-18 (i) A public institution of higher education may not:
10-19 (1) charge a person attending the institution who also
10-20 receives a TEXAS grant an amount of tuition and required fees in
10-21 excess of the amount of the TEXAS grant received by the person; or
10-22 (2) deny admission to or enrollment in the institution
10-23 based on a person's eligibility to receive a TEXAS grant or a
10-24 person's receipt of a TEXAS grant.
10-25 (j) An institution may use other available sources of
10-26 financial aid, other than a loan or a Pell grant, to cover any
10-27 difference in the amount of a TEXAS grant and the actual amount of
11-1 tuition and required fees at the institution.
11-2 (k) The legislature in an appropriations act shall account
11-3 for tuition and required fees received under this section in a way
11-4 that does not increase the general revenue appropriations to that
11-5 institution.
11-6 Sec. 56.308. NOTIFICATION OF PROGRAM; RESPONSIBILITIES OF
11-7 SCHOOL DISTRICTS. (a) The coordinating board shall distribute to
11-8 each eligible institution and to each school district a copy of the
11-9 rules adopted under this subchapter.
11-10 (b) Each school district shall:
11-11 (1) notify its middle school students, junior high
11-12 school students, and high school students, those students' teachers
11-13 and counselors, and those students' parents of the TEXAS grant and
11-14 Teach for Texas grant programs established under this subchapter,
11-15 the eligibility requirements of each program, the need for students
11-16 to make informed curriculum choices to be prepared for success
11-17 beyond high school, and sources of information on higher education
11-18 admissions and financial aid in a manner that assists the district
11-19 in implementing a strategy adopted by the district under Section
11-20 11.252(a)(4); and
11-21 (2) ensure that each student's official transcript or
11-22 diploma indicates whether the student has completed or is on
11-23 schedule to complete:
11-24 (A) the recommended or advanced high school
11-25 curriculum required for grant eligibility under Section 28.002 or
11-26 28.025; or
11-27 (B) for a school district covered by Section
12-1 56.304(f)(1), the required portion of the recommended or advanced
12-2 high school curriculum in the manner described by Section
12-3 56.304(f)(2).
12-4 (c) The information required by Subsection (b)(2) must be
12-5 included on a student's transcript not later than the end of the
12-6 student's junior year.
12-7 (d) In addition to the eligibility requirements of Section
12-8 56.304, a person who graduated from an accredited private high
12-9 school is eligible to receive a grant under this subchapter only if
12-10 the student's official transcript or diploma includes the
12-11 information required as provided by Subsections (b)(2)(A) and (c).
12-12 Sec. 56.309. TEACH FOR TEXAS GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The purpose
12-13 of the Teach for Texas grant program is to attract to the teaching
12-14 profession persons who have expressed interest in teaching and to
12-15 support the certification of those persons as classroom teachers.
12-16 (b) A Teach for Texas tuition grant is available only to a
12-17 person who receives a TEXAS grant under Section 56.304 or 56.305,
12-18 applies for a Teach for Texas tuition grant, and is enrolled as a
12-19 junior or senior in a baccalaureate degree program if:
12-20 (1) the degree program is in a teaching field
12-21 certified by the commissioner of education as experiencing a
12-22 critical shortage of teachers in this state in the year in which
12-23 the person begins the degree program; or
12-24 (2) the person agrees to teach in a public school in
12-25 this state in a community, which is not required to be specifically
12-26 designated at the time the person receives the grant, certified by
12-27 the commissioner of education as experiencing a critical shortage
13-1 of teachers in any year in which the person receives a grant under
13-2 this section or in any subsequent year in which the person fulfills
13-3 the teaching obligation.
13-4 (c) To receive a Teach for Texas tuition grant, a person
13-5 must agree to teach full-time for five years at the preschool,
13-6 primary, or secondary level in a public school in this state in the
13-7 person's chosen critical field or in a community experiencing a
13-8 critical teacher shortage, as applicable.
13-9 (d) The amount of a Teach for Texas tuition grant under this
13-10 section is equal to two times the amount of a TEXAS grant
13-11 authorized under Section 56.307(b) for the same semester or term.
13-12 A person may receive both a TEXAS grant under Section 56.304 or
13-13 56.305 and a grant under this section for the same semester or
13-14 term.
13-15 (e) The person must begin fulfilling the teaching obligation
13-16 of this section not later than the 18th month after the person
13-17 completes the degree program and any related courses required for
13-18 teacher certification, unless the coordinating board grants the
13-19 person additional time to begin fulfilling the teaching obligation.
13-20 The person must complete the teaching obligation not later than the
13-21 sixth year after the date the person begins to fulfill the teaching
13-22 obligation. The coordinating board shall grant a person additional
13-23 time to complete the teaching obligation for good cause.
13-24 (f) The coordinating board shall cancel a person's teaching
13-25 obligation if the board determines that the person:
13-26 (1) has become permanently disabled so that the person
13-27 is not able to teach; or
14-1 (2) has died.
14-2 (g) The coordinating board shall require a person who
14-3 receives a Teach for Texas grant under this section to sign a
14-4 promissory note acknowledging the conditional nature of the grant
14-5 and promising to repay the amount of the grant plus applicable
14-6 interest and reasonable collection costs if the person does not
14-7 satisfy the applicable conditions. The board shall determine the
14-8 terms of the promissory note.
14-9 (h) The amount required to be repaid by a person who fails
14-10 to complete the teaching obligation of the person's grant shall be
14-11 determined in proportion to the portion of the teaching obligation
14-12 that the person has not satisfied.
14-13 (i) A person receiving a Teach for Texas tuition grant is
14-14 considered to have failed to satisfy the conditions of the grant,
14-15 and the grant automatically becomes a loan, if the person fails to
14-16 remain enrolled in or to make steady progress in the degree program
14-17 for which the grant was made without good cause as determined by
14-18 the coordinating board or if the person fails to become certified
14-19 as a teacher not later than the 18th month after the date the
14-20 person receives a degree.
14-21 Sec. 56.310. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board may
14-22 solicit and accept gifts and grants from any public or private
14-23 source for the purposes of this subchapter.
14-24 (b) The legislature may appropriate money for the purposes
14-25 of this subchapter.
14-26 Sec. 56.311. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) The
14-27 Legislative Oversight Committee on the TEXAS and Teach for Texas
15-1 grant programs established by this subchapter is composed of six
15-2 members as follows:
15-3 (1) three members of the senate appointed by the
15-4 lieutenant governor; and
15-5 (2) three members of the house of representatives
15-6 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
15-7 (b) The committee shall:
15-8 (1) meet at least twice a year with the coordinating
15-9 board; and
15-10 (2) receive information regarding rules relating to
15-11 the TEXAS and Teach for Texas grant programs established by this
15-12 subchapter that have been adopted by the coordinating board or
15-13 proposed for adoption by the coordinating board.
15-14 (c) The committee may request reports and other information
15-15 from the coordinating board relating to the operation of the TEXAS
15-16 and Teach for Texas grant programs under this subchapter by the
15-17 coordinating board.
15-18 (d) The committee shall review the specific recommendations
15-19 for legislation related to this subchapter that are proposed by the
15-20 coordinating board.
15-21 (e) The committee shall monitor the operation of the TEXAS
15-22 and Teach for Texas grant programs established under this
15-23 subchapter, with emphasis on the manner of the award of grants, the
15-24 number of grants awarded, and the educational progress made by
15-25 persons who have received grants under this subchapter.
15-26 (f) The committee shall file a report with the governor,
15-27 lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of representatives
16-1 not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year.
16-2 (g) The report shall include identification of any problems
16-3 in the TEXAS and Teach for Texas grant programs operated under this
16-4 subchapter with recommended solutions for the coordinating board
16-5 and for legislative action.
16-6 SECTION 2. Section 54.5021(c), Education Code, is amended to
16-7 read as follows:
16-8 (c) Not later than August 31 of each fiscal year, each
16-9 institution of higher education that has an unobligated and
16-10 unexpended balance in its student deposit fund that exceeds 150
16-11 percent of the total deposits to that fund during that year shall
16-12 remit to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the amount
16-13 of that excess. The coordinating board shall allocate on an
16-14 equitable basis amounts received under this subsection to
16-15 institutions of higher education that do not have an excess
16-16 described by this subsection for deposit in their student deposit
16-17 fund. The amount allocated under this subsection may be used only
16-18 for making grants under Subchapter M, Chapter 56 [scholarship
16-19 awards to needy and deserving students under this section].
16-20 SECTION 3. Section 56.039, Education Code, is amended to
16-21 read as follows:
16-22 Sec. 56.039. FULL USE OF FUNDS. At the end of a fiscal
16-23 year, if the total amount of unencumbered funds that have been set
16-24 aside under this subchapter by an institution of higher education,
16-25 together with the total amount of unencumbered funds transferred by
16-26 that institution to the Coordinating Board, Texas College and
16-27 University System, exceeds 150 percent of the amount of funds set
17-1 aside by that institution in that fiscal year, the institution
17-2 shall transfer the excess amount to the coordinating board. The
17-3 coordinating board shall use funds transferred under this section
17-4 to award grants under Subchapter M [scholarships as provided by law
17-5 to students at institutions other than the institution that
17-6 transferred the funds].
17-7 SECTION 4. Section 151.423, Tax Code, is amended to read as
17-8 follows:
17-9 Sec. 151.423. REIMBURSEMENT TO TAXPAYER FOR TAX COLLECTIONS.
17-10 A taxpayer may deduct and withhold one-half of one percent of the
17-11 amount of taxes due from the taxpayer on a timely return as
17-12 reimbursement for the cost of collecting the taxes imposed by this
17-13 chapter. The comptroller shall provide a card with each form
17-14 distributed for the collection of taxes under this chapter. The
17-15 card may be inserted by the taxpayer with the tax payment to
17-16 provide for contribution of all or part of the reimbursement
17-17 provided by this section for use as grants [student financial
17-18 assistance grants offered] under Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
17-19 Education Code. If the taxpayer chooses to contribute the
17-20 reimbursement for the [student] grants, the taxpayer shall include
17-21 the amount of the reimbursement contribution with the tax payment.
17-22 The comptroller shall transfer money contributed under this section
17-23 for [student] grants under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education
17-24 Code, to the appropriate fund.
17-25 SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
17-26 amended by adding Section 61.0776 to read as follows:
17-27 Sec. 61.0776. CENTER FOR FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION. (a)
18-1 The board, in cooperation with public and private or independent
18-2 institutions of higher education, the Texas Education Agency,
18-3 public school counselors, representatives of student financial aid
18-4 offices of any institutions, regional education service centers,
18-5 and the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation, shall develop a
18-6 center for financial aid information. The center shall disseminate
18-7 information about financial aid opportunities and procedures,
18-8 including information about different types of financial aid
18-9 available, eligibility requirements, and procedures for applying
18-10 for financial aid. The center shall also provide information to
18-11 prospective students about the Teach for Texas grant program. The
18-12 information must emphasize the importance of teaching as a
18-13 profession.
18-14 (b) To assist the board in developing information provided
18-15 by the center, the board shall create and appoint an advisory
18-16 committee that consists of experts in financial aid administration,
18-17 public school counselors, and other persons who can provide insight
18-18 into the informational needs of students.
18-19 (c) The board may designate an institution of higher
18-20 education or other entity with appropriate facilities and
18-21 resources to operate or house the center.
18-22 (d) The center shall maintain a toll-free telephone line
18-23 that is staffed by persons knowledgeable about financial aid
18-24 information in this state.
18-25 (e) The center shall, based on the advisory committee's
18-26 recommendations, publish information concerning financial aid
18-27 opportunities in this state and shall:
19-1 (1) furnish a written copy of the information to each
19-2 middle school, junior high school, and high school counselor in
19-3 this state; and
19-4 (2) post the information on an Internet website
19-5 accessible to the public.
19-6 SECTION 6. Section 11.252(a), Education Code, is amended to
19-7 read as follows:
19-8 (a) Each school district shall have a district improvement
19-9 plan that is developed, evaluated, and revised annually, in
19-10 accordance with district policy, by the superintendent with the
19-11 assistance of the district-level committee established under
19-12 Section 11.251. The purpose of the district improvement plan is to
19-13 guide district and campus staff in the improvement of student
19-14 performance for all student groups in order to attain state
19-15 standards in respect to the academic excellence indicators adopted
19-16 under Section 39.051. The district improvement plan must include
19-17 provisions for:
19-18 (1) a comprehensive needs assessment addressing
19-19 district student performance on the academic excellence indicators,
19-20 and other appropriate measures of performance, that are
19-21 disaggregated by all student groups served by the district,
19-22 including categories of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sex, and
19-23 populations served by special programs;
19-24 (2) measurable district performance objectives for all
19-25 appropriate academic excellence indicators for all student
19-26 populations, appropriate objectives for special needs populations,
19-27 and other measures of student performance that may be identified
20-1 through the comprehensive needs assessment;
20-2 (3) strategies for improvement of student performance
20-3 that include:
20-4 (A) instructional methods for addressing the
20-5 needs of student groups not achieving their full potential;
20-6 (B) methods for addressing the needs of students
20-7 for special programs, such as suicide prevention, conflict
20-8 resolution, violence prevention, or dyslexia treatment programs;
20-9 (C) dropout reduction;
20-10 (D) integration of technology in instructional
20-11 and administrative programs;
20-12 (E) discipline management;
20-13 (F) staff development for professional staff of
20-14 the district;
20-15 (G) career education to assist students in
20-16 developing the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for a
20-17 broad range of career opportunities; and
20-18 (H) accelerated education;
20-19 (4) strategies for providing to middle school, junior
20-20 high school, and high school students, those students' teachers
20-21 and counselors, and those students' parents information about:
20-22 (A) higher education admissions and financial
20-23 aid opportunities;
20-24 (B) the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for
20-25 Texas grant program established under Subchapter M, Chapter 56;
20-26 (C) the need for students to make informed
20-27 curriculum choices to be prepared for success beyond high school;
21-1 and
21-2 (D) sources of information on higher education
21-3 admissions and financial aid;
21-4 (5) resources needed to implement identified
21-5 strategies;
21-6 (6) [(5)] staff responsible for ensuring the
21-7 accomplishment of each strategy;
21-8 (7) [(6)] timelines for ongoing monitoring of the
21-9 implementation of each improvement strategy; and
21-10 (8) [(7)] formative evaluation criteria for
21-11 determining periodically whether strategies are resulting in
21-12 intended improvement of student performance.
21-13 SECTION 7. Section 21.004, Education Code, is amended to
21-14 read as follows:
21-15 Sec. 21.004. TEACHER RECRUITMENT PROGRAM. (a) To the
21-16 extent that funds are available, the [The] agency, the State Board
21-17 for Educator Certification, and the Texas Higher Education
21-18 Coordinating Board shall develop and implement programs [a program]
21-19 to identify talented students and recruit those students and
21-20 persons, including high school and undergraduate students,
21-21 mid-career and retired professionals, honorably discharged and
21-22 retired military personnel, and members of underrepresented gender
21-23 and ethnic groups, [those students for entry] into the teaching
21-24 profession.
21-25 (b) From available funds, the agency, the State Board for
21-26 Educator Certification, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
21-27 Board shall develop and distribute materials that emphasize the
22-1 importance of the teaching profession and inform individuals about
22-2 state-funded loan forgiveness and tuition assistance programs [The
22-3 recruitment program must include a technology program suitable for
22-4 presentation on campuses at high schools and institutions of higher
22-5 education in this state].
22-6 (c) [The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
22-7 cooperate with and assist the agency in the development and
22-8 implementation of the recruitment program.]
22-9 [(d)] The commissioner, in cooperation with the commissioner
22-10 of higher education and the executive director of the State Board
22-11 for Educator Certification, shall annually [may coordinate and
22-12 administer a comprehensive program to] identify the need for
22-13 teachers in specific subject areas and geographic regions and among
22-14 [to encourage members of] underrepresented groups [to enter the
22-15 teaching profession. In coordinating the program, the commissioner
22-16 shall consider the efforts of existing programs for recruiting
22-17 minorities into the teaching profession]. The commissioner shall
22-18 give priority to developing and implementing recruitment programs
22-19 to address those needs [this program] from the agency's
22-20 discretionary funds.
22-21 (d) [(e) The commissioner may implement a plan to identify
22-22 talented secondary school students and to attract them to the
22-23 teaching profession. In cooperation with the commissioner, the
22-24 principal of each high school shall appoint a volunteer teacher as
22-25 the teacher recruiting officer for the school to assist in
22-26 providing information about the merits of the teaching profession
22-27 and in identifying and encouraging talented students to become
23-1 teachers. The commissioner may sponsor a meeting in each regional
23-2 education service center region of the teacher recruiting officers
23-3 from each high school in that area to provide the officers the
23-4 opportunity to share information and materials about the teacher
23-5 recruitment program.]
23-6 [(f)] The agency, the State Board for Educator
23-7 Certification, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
23-8 [commissioner] shall encourage the business community to cooperate
23-9 with local schools to develop recruiting programs designed to
23-10 attract and retain capable teachers, including programs to
23-11 provide[. The commissioner shall encourage the business community
23-12 to provide] summer employment opportunities for teachers.
23-13 (e) [(g)] The agency, the State Board for Educator
23-14 Certification, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
23-15 [commissioner] shall encourage major education associations to
23-16 cooperate in developing a long-range program promoting teaching as
23-17 a career and to assist in identifying local activities and
23-18 resources that may be used to promote the teaching profession.
23-19 (f) [(h)] Funds received for [the] teacher recruitment
23-20 programs [program] may be used only to publicize and implement the
23-21 programs [program].
23-22 SECTION 8. Chapter 21, Education Code, is amended by adding
23-23 Subchapter K to read as follows:
23-24 SUBCHAPTER K. TEACH FOR TEXAS PILOT PROGRAM RELATING TO
23-25 ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION
23-26 Sec. 21.501. PURPOSES. The purposes of the alternative
23-27 certification Teach for Texas Pilot Program are to:
24-1 (1) attract to the teaching profession persons who
24-2 have expressed interest in teaching and to support the
24-3 certification of those persons as teachers;
24-4 (2) recognize the importance of the certification
24-5 process governed by the State Board for Educator Certification
24-6 under Subchapter B, which requires verification of competence in
24-7 subject area and professional knowledge and skills;
24-8 (3) encourage the creation and expansion of educator
24-9 preparation programs that recognize the knowledge and skills gained
24-10 through previous educational and work-related experiences and that
24-11 are delivered in a manner that recognizes individual circumstances,
24-12 including the need to remain employed full-time while enrolled in
24-13 the Teach for Texas Pilot Program; and
24-14 (4) provide annual stipends to postbaccalaureate
24-15 teacher certification candidates.
24-16 Sec. 21.502. PROGRAM ESTABLISHED. The State Board for
24-17 Educator Certification by rule shall establish the Teach for Texas
24-18 Pilot Program consistent with the purposes provided by Section
24-19 21.501.
24-20 Sec. 21.503. FINANCIAL INCENTIVES. (a) The pilot program
24-21 must offer to participants financial incentives, including tuition
24-22 assistance and loan forgiveness. In offering a financial
24-23 incentive, the State Board for Educator Certification shall:
24-24 (1) require a contract between each participant who
24-25 accepts a financial incentive and the State Board for Educator
24-26 Certification under which the participant is obligated to teach in
24-27 a public school in this state for a stated period after
25-1 certification;
25-2 (2) provide financial incentives in proportion to the
25-3 length of the period the participant is obligated by contract to
25-4 teach after certification; and
25-5 (3) give special financial incentives to a participant
25-6 who agrees in the contract to teach in an underserved area.
25-7 (b) Financial incentives may be paid only from funds
25-8 appropriated specifically for that purpose and from gifts, grants,
25-9 and donations solicited or accepted by the State Board for Educator
25-10 Certification for that purpose.
25-11 (c) The State Board for Educator Certification shall
25-12 propose rules establishing criteria for awarding financial
25-13 incentives under this section, including criteria for awarding
25-14 financial incentives if there are more participants than funds
25-15 available to provide the financial incentives.
25-16 SECTION 9. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
25-17 amended by adding Section 61.0514 to read as follows:
25-18 Sec. 61.0514. INTEGRATED COURSEWORK. The board, with the
25-19 cooperation and advice of the State Board for Educator
25-20 Certification, shall adopt educator preparation coursework
25-21 guidelines that promote, to the greatest extent practicable, the
25-22 integration of subject matter knowledge with classroom teaching
25-23 strategies and techniques in order to maximize the effectiveness
25-24 and efficiency of coursework required for certification under
25-25 Subchapter B, Chapter 21.
25-26 SECTION 10. Subchapter M, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
25-27 amended to read as follows:
26-1 SUBCHAPTER M. REPAYMENT OF CERTAIN
26-2 TEACHER AND FACULTY EDUCATION LOANS
26-3 Sec. 61.701. REPAYMENT AUTHORIZED. The [coordinating] board
26-4 may provide, in accordance with this subchapter and board rules,
26-5 assistance in the repayment of student loans for persons [teachers]
26-6 who apply and qualify for the assistance.
26-7 Sec. 61.702. ELIGIBILITY. [(a)] To be eligible to receive
26-8 repayment assistance, a person [teacher] must[:]
26-9 [(1)] apply to the [coordinating] board[;] and must
26-10 have:
26-11 (1) [(2) have] completed at least one year of
26-12 employment as and be employed as a full-time classroom teacher in
26-13 the elementary or secondary schools of this state in an area or
26-14 field of acute teacher shortage as designated by the State Board of
26-15 Education; or
26-16 (2) received a doctoral degree not earlier than
26-17 September 1, 1994, from a public or private institution of higher
26-18 education accredited as required by the board and be employed as a
26-19 full-time faculty member with instructional duties in an
26-20 institution of higher education located in a county that borders
26-21 the United Mexican States.
26-22 [(b) The coordinating board may provide by rule for
26-23 repayment assistance on a pro rata basis for teachers employed
26-24 part-time in an elementary or secondary school of this state in an
26-25 area or field of acute teacher shortage as designated by the State
26-26 Board of Education.]
26-27 Sec. 61.703. LIMITATION. A person [teacher] may not receive
27-1 repayment assistance grants for more than 10 [five] years.
27-2 Sec. 61.704. ELIGIBLE LOANS. (a) The [coordinating] board
27-3 may provide repayment assistance for the repayment of any student
27-4 loan for education at a public or private [an] institution of
27-5 higher education, including loans for undergraduate and graduate
27-6 education, received by a person [teacher] through any lender.
27-7 (b) The [coordinating] board may not provide repayment
27-8 assistance for a student loan that is in default at the time of the
27-9 person's [teacher's] application.
27-10 Sec. 61.705. REPAYMENT. (a) The [coordinating] board shall
27-11 deliver any repayment made under this subchapter in a lump sum
27-12 payable to the lender and the person [teacher], in accordance with
27-13 federal law.
27-14 (b) A repayment made under this subchapter may be applied to
27-15 the principal amount of the loan and to interest that accrues.
27-16 (c) The minimum amount of repayment assistance that may be
27-17 received in one year by a person described by Section 61.702(2) is
27-18 50 percent of the amount of principal and accrued interest that is
27-19 due that year.
27-20 Sec. 61.706. ADVISORY COMMITTEES. The [coordinating] board
27-21 may appoint advisory committees from outside the board's membership
27-22 to assist the board in performing its duties under this subchapter.
27-23 Sec. 61.707. ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS. The [coordinating] board
27-24 may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations for the
27-25 purposes of this subchapter.
27-26 Sec. 61.708. RULES. (a) The [coordinating] board shall
27-27 adopt rules necessary for the administration of this subchapter,
28-1 including:
28-2 (1) a rule that sets a minimum or maximum amount of
28-3 repayment assistance that may be received in one year by a person
28-4 described by Section 61.702(1); and
28-5 (2) a rule that sets a maximum amount of repayment
28-6 assistance that may be received in one year by a person described
28-7 by Section 61.702(2) [teacher in one year].
28-8 (b) The [coordinating] board shall distribute a copy of the
28-9 rules adopted under this section and pertinent information in this
28-10 subchapter to:
28-11 (1) each institution of higher education that offers a
28-12 teacher education program;
28-13 (2) the personnel office at each institution of higher
28-14 education located in a county that borders the United Mexican
28-15 States;
28-16 (3) any other appropriate state agency; and
28-17 (4) [(3)] any appropriate professional association.
28-18 SECTION 11. (a) This section may be cited as the Steven
28-19 Gonzales-Prisoner of War Higher Education Act.
28-20 (b) Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, is amended by
28-21 adding Section 54.219 to read as follows:
28-22 Sec. 54.219. PRISONERS OF WAR. (a) In this section,
28-23 "tuition and required fees" includes tuition, service fees, lab
28-24 fees, building use fees, and all other required fees except room,
28-25 board, or clothing fees or deposits in the nature of security for
28-26 the return or proper care of property.
28-27 (b) For each semester or summer session and for a total
29-1 number of semester credit hours not to exceed 120, the governing
29-2 body of each institution of higher education shall exempt from the
29-3 payment of tuition and required fees any person who:
29-4 (1) is a resident of Texas and was a resident of Texas
29-5 at the time of the person's original entry into the United States
29-6 armed forces;
29-7 (2) was first classified as a prisoner of war by the
29-8 United States Department of Defense on or after January 1, 1999;
29-9 and
29-10 (3) is enrolled for at least 12 semester credit hours.
29-11 (c) For each semester or session in which a person receives
29-12 an exemption from tuition and required fees under Subsection (b),
29-13 the governing body of the institution the person attends shall
29-14 exempt the person from the payment of fees and charges for lodging
29-15 and board if the person resides on the campus of the institution.
29-16 If the person does not reside on the campus of the institution, the
29-17 institution shall provide to the person a reasonable stipend to
29-18 cover the costs of the person's lodging and board.
29-19 (d) For each semester or session in which a person receives
29-20 an exemption from tuition and required fees under Subsection (b),
29-21 the governing body of the institution the person attends shall
29-22 award to the person a scholarship to cover the costs of books and
29-23 similar educational materials required for course work at the
29-24 institution.
29-25 (e) An institution may use any available revenue, including
29-26 legislative appropriations, and shall solicit and accept gifts,
29-27 grants, and donations for the purposes of this section. The
30-1 institution shall use gifts, grants, and donations received for the
30-2 purposes of this section before using any other revenue.
30-3 (c) This section applies beginning with the 1999 fall
30-4 semester.
30-5 SECTION 12. Sections 54.215 and 54.216, Education Code, are
30-6 repealed.
30-7 SECTION 13. Subchapters F and G, Chapter 56, Education Code,
30-8 are repealed effective June 1, 1999.
30-9 SECTION 14. Any money appropriated to or collected for a
30-10 program abolished under Section 12 or 13 of this Act or that exists
30-11 in any account to support a program abolished under Section 12 or
30-12 13 of this Act, including the Texas New Horizons Scholarship Trust
30-13 Fund, is transferred to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
30-14 Board for use in the TEXAS Grant Program.
30-15 SECTION 15. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
30-16 Board shall review and study the laws relating to student financial
30-17 aid, grant, and scholarship programs and tuition and fee waivers or
30-18 exemptions. The study shall describe improvements that may be made
30-19 to existing programs to maximize the benefit of the programs to the
30-20 state and its students and shall include recommendations for
30-21 legislative or administrative action that may be taken to
30-22 consolidate, expand, or otherwise modify existing programs or
30-23 create new programs.
30-24 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
30-25 report its activities and findings to the governor, the lieutenant
30-26 governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
30-27 presiding officer of each legislative committee charged with the
31-1 oversight of higher education institutions not later than December
31-2 1, 2000.
31-3 SECTION 16. A person receiving a scholarship or other
31-4 financial assistance under Section 54.215 or 54.216, Education
31-5 Code, or Subchapter G, Chapter 56, Education Code, on the effective
31-6 date of this Act may continue to receive a scholarship or other
31-7 financial assistance under Section 54.215 or 54.216 or under
31-8 Subchapter G, Chapter 56, Education Code, as applicable to the
31-9 person on the effective date, until the person is no longer
31-10 eligible for the scholarship or other assistance under Section
31-11 54.215 or 54.216, Education Code, or Subchapter G, Chapter 56,
31-12 Education Code, as the applicable section or subchapter exists on
31-13 January 1, 1999. The costs of the scholarships or other financial
31-14 assistance authorized under this section shall be covered by the
31-15 TEXAS grant program established by Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
31-16 Education Code, as added by this Act.
31-17 SECTION 17. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
31-18 Board, in conjunction with the commissioner of education, shall
31-19 conduct a study relating to the performance of students at
31-20 institutions of higher education as that performance relates to
31-21 whether a student completed the recommended or advanced high school
31-22 curriculum.
31-23 (b) The board shall include in the study consideration of:
31-24 (1) the number of schools that offered all or part of
31-25 the recommended or advanced high school curriculum;
31-26 (2) the types and number of students who completed the
31-27 recommended or advanced high school curriculum; and
32-1 (3) the effect, if any, of the method that a school
32-2 district uses to present or deliver any portion of the recommended
32-3 or advanced high school curriculum to its students.
32-4 (c) Not later than January 1, 2003, the board shall issue a
32-5 final report describing the findings of the study conducted under
32-6 this section and any recommendations for legislation or
32-7 administrative action to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker
32-8 of the house of representatives, the presiding officer of each
32-9 legislative committee charged with the oversight of primary and
32-10 secondary education or higher education, and the legislative
32-11 oversight committee established under Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
32-12 Education Code, as added by this Act. The board may issue
32-13 preliminary reports related to the study at any time.
32-14 (d) This section expires January 2, 2003.
32-15 SECTION 18. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
32-16 Board shall review and study the effect of the TEXAS grant program
32-17 and the Teach for Texas grant program established by Subchapter M,
32-18 Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by this Act, on enrollments at
32-19 institutions of higher education. The study shall determine
32-20 whether there have been shifts in enrollments between universities
32-21 and community colleges and whether those shifts were caused by the
32-22 different grant amounts awarded to students at each institution.
32-23 The report shall make recommendations for legislative changes to
32-24 the methodology for calculating the amount of the grant awards, if
32-25 needed.
32-26 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
32-27 report its findings to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the
33-1 speaker of the house of representatives, the presiding officer of
33-2 each legislative committee with oversight responsibilities for
33-3 higher education institutions, and the legislative oversight
33-4 committee established under Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education
33-5 Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2000.
33-6 SECTION 19. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
33-7 Board and the eligible institutions of higher education shall award
33-8 scholarships under the TEXAS grant program and the Teach for Texas
33-9 grant program established under Subchapter M, Chapter 56,
33-10 Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 1999 fall
33-11 semester.
33-12 (b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
33-13 adopt the initial rules for awarding grants under the TEXAS grant
33-14 program and the Teach for Texas grant program established under
33-15 Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, as added by this Act, not
33-16 later than July 31, 1999.
33-17 (c) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may award
33-18 a grant under the Teach for Texas Grant Program to a person who has
33-19 not received a TEXAS grant under Section 56.304 or 56.305,
33-20 Education Code, as added by this Act, if the person meets all the
33-21 other qualifications for the award of a Teach for Texas tuition
33-22 grant under Section 56.309, Education Code, as added by this Act,
33-23 and the requirements for a TEXAS grant under Sections 56.304 and
33-24 56.305, Education Code, except for requirements of Sections
33-25 56.304(a)(2) and (5), Education Code, as added by this Act. This
33-26 subsection expires September 1, 2001.
33-27 SECTION 20. The commissioner of education shall provide to
34-1 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board a list of all of the
34-2 public high schools that do not offer all the courses necessary to
34-3 complete all parts of the recommended or advanced high school
34-4 curriculum or its equivalent as required by Section 56.304(f)(1),
34-5 Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than July 31, 1999.
34-6 SECTION 21. The importance of this legislation and the
34-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
34-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
34-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
34-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
34-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
34-12 passage, and it is so enacted.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 713 was passed by the House on April
22, 1999, by a non-record vote; that the House refused to concur in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 713 on May 8, 1999, and requested the
appointment of a conference committee to consider the differences
between the two houses; and that the House adopted the conference
committee report on H.B. No. 713 on May 29, 1999, by the following
vote: Yeas 142, Nays 2, 1 present, not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 713 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 6, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
713 on May 30, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor