By Seaman H.B. No. 1418 76R5608 BDH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to optional career and technology education programs 1-3 offered by public school districts. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 29, Education Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 29.187 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 29.187. DISTRICT CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AND 1-8 CERTIFICATE. (a) In addition to the authority granted under 1-9 Section 29.183, the board of trustees of a school district may 1-10 develop and offer a program under which a student may receive 1-11 specific training in a career and technology profession and obtain 1-12 a career and technology certificate issued by the district in 1-13 addition to a diploma or certificate of coursework completion under 1-14 Section 28.025. In developing the program, the board of trustees 1-15 shall consider the state plan for career and technology education 1-16 required under Section 29.182. 1-17 (b) The board of trustees of a school district may contract 1-18 with an entity listed in Section 29.184(a) for assistance in 1-19 developing the program or providing instruction to district 1-20 students participating in the program. A student who receives 1-21 career and technology instruction under the program at another 1-22 school under a contract authorized by this subsection is included 1-23 in the average daily attendance of the district in which the 1-24 student is regularly enrolled. 2-1 (c) The board of trustees of a school district may also 2-2 contract with a local business or local workforce development board 2-3 for assistance in developing or operating a program under this 2-4 section. A program developed with the assistance of a local 2-5 business or local workforce development board shall provide 2-6 training in areas of technology unique to the local area. 2-7 (d) The board of trustees of a school district annually may 2-8 grant a tax credit to a business that pays property taxes in the 2-9 district and contracts with the district under Subsection (c). The 2-10 annual tax credit may not exceed the total value of goods, 2-11 services, equipment, and facilities provided by the business to the 2-12 district for the fiscal year. 2-13 (e) The board of trustees of a school district may provide 2-14 insurance to protect a business that contracts with the district 2-15 under Subsection (c) against liability for a bodily injury 2-16 sustained by or the death of a district student while working for 2-17 the business as part of the program established under this section. 2-18 The amount of insurance the district provides must be reasonable 2-19 considering the financial condition of the district. The insurance 2-20 must be: 2-21 (1) from a reliable insurance company authorized to do 2-22 business in the state; and 2-23 (2) on a form approved by the commissioner of 2-24 insurance. 2-25 (f) The board of trustees of a school district must submit a 2-26 proposed program under this section to the State Board of Education 2-27 for approval. 3-1 SECTION 2. (a) The Council on Workforce and Economic 3-2 Competitiveness, in cooperation with the Texas Education Agency and 3-3 the Texas Workforce Commission, shall conduct a study to determine 3-4 the effectiveness of career and technology education programs in 3-5 improving the academic and professional success of at-risk students 3-6 and school dropouts. The study must include: 3-7 (1) a review and evaluation of the impact of career 3-8 and technology education programs on retaining at-risk students in 3-9 school; 3-10 (2) a review and evaluation of career and technology 3-11 education programs to determine which programs provide at-risk 3-12 students and school dropouts with the most effective transition 3-13 into postsecondary education and high-skill, high-wage jobs; and 3-14 (3) development of a catalog of career and technology 3-15 programs that effectively assist at-risk students and school 3-16 dropouts with the transition into postsecondary education and 3-17 high-skill, high-wage jobs. 3-18 (b) The Council on Workforce and Economic Competitiveness, 3-19 in cooperation with the Texas Education Agency and the Texas 3-20 Workforce Commission, shall submit a report of the results and 3-21 findings of the study required by this section to the governor, the 3-22 lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of 3-23 representatives not later than September 1, 2000. 3-24 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 4-2 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 4-3 passage, and it is so enacted.