By Garcia                                             H.B. No. 2806
         76R13861 JSA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to establishing a mentoring program at the University of
 1-3     North Texas.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 105, Education Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 105.51 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 105.51.  MENTORING PROGRAM.  (a)  The board may
 1-8     establish a mentoring program at the university.  The program may
 1-9     provide mentoring, tutoring, and other resources to students at all
1-10     levels of the educational system to assist students to:
1-11                 (1)  succeed in their education and achieve appropriate
1-12     educational goals; and
1-13                 (2)  prepare for the transition from being a student to
1-14     becoming an independent adult member of society.
1-15           (b)  The program may recruit, train, coordinate, and support
1-16     mentors and tutors, and may provide other resources, to students in
1-17     the communities primarily served by the university who are students
1-18     at risk of dropping out of school, as defined by Section 29.081, or
1-19     who are otherwise in need of services to assist them in
1-20     successfully completing their education and becoming productive
1-21     members of the community.
1-22           (c)  The board shall establish in connection with the program
1-23     a continuing study and evaluation of mentoring activities and
1-24     research into the best practices and methods of mentoring.
 2-1           (d)  Not later than January 1, 2001, and at other times
 2-2     determined by the board, the board shall prepare a report relating
 2-3     to the operation of the program.  The report shall include:
 2-4                 (1)  a description of the program;
 2-5                 (2)  information relating to the students served by the
 2-6     program;
 2-7                 (3)  an analysis of the effects of the program on
 2-8     student performance, including effects on drop-out rates, school
 2-9     attendance, grades, performance on assessment tests, graduation
2-10     rates, and entry into higher education programs;
2-11                 (4)  the costs of the program and the sources of funds
2-12     used to support the program; and
2-13                 (5)  the board's recommendations for continuing the
2-14     program and for any changes in the law authorizing the program.
2-15           (e)  The board may use available institutional funds, as
2-16     defined by Section 51.009, to support the program.  The board may
2-17     solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or
2-18     private source to support the program.
2-19           SECTION 2.  This Act does not make an appropriation.  This
2-20     Act does not require the board of regents of the University of
2-21     North Texas to establish a mentoring program under Section 105.51,
2-22     Education Code, as added by this Act, unless money is specifically
2-23     appropriated for that purpose.
2-24           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-25     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-26     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-27     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 3-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
 3-2     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
 3-3     passage, and it is so enacted.