By Bernsen S.B. No. 1774
77R3463 KEL-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the eligibility of children of certain classroom
1-3 teachers to receive a TEXAS grant to attend public and private
1-4 institutions of higher education in this state.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 56.301, Education Code, is amended to read
1-7 as follows:
1-8 Sec. 56.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-9 (1) "Child" includes an adopted child and an adult
1-10 child.
1-11 (2) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
1-12 Education Coordinating Board.
1-13 (3) "Eligible classroom teacher" means a person who at
1-14 the beginning of the semester or summer session for which a TEXAS
1-15 grant is sought has 10 or more years of experience as a classroom
1-16 teacher, as defined by Section 5.001(2), in this state and:
1-17 (A) is employed as a classroom teacher in this
1-18 state; or
1-19 (B) has contracted to work as a classroom
1-20 teacher in this state during all or part of that semester or, if
1-21 the TEXAS grant is sought for a summer session or term, has
1-22 contracted to work as a classroom teacher in this state during the
1-23 next school year.
1-24 (4) [(2)] "Eligible institution" means:
2-1 (A) an institution of higher education; or
2-2 (B) a private or independent institution of
2-3 higher education.
2-4 (5) [(3)] "Private or independent institution of
2-5 higher education," "public junior college," and "public technical
2-6 institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
2-7 SECTION 2. Section 56.304(a), Education Code, is amended to
2-8 read as follows:
2-9 (a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person
2-10 must:
2-11 (1) be a resident of this state as determined by
2-12 coordinating board rules;
2-13 (2) meet either of the following academic
2-14 requirements:
2-15 (A) be a graduate of a public or accredited
2-16 private high school in this state who graduated not earlier than
2-17 the 1998-1999 school year and who completed the recommended or
2-18 advanced high school curriculum established under Section 28.002 or
2-19 28.025 or its equivalent; or
2-20 (B) have received an associate degree from an
2-21 eligible institution not earlier than May 1, 2001;
2-22 (3) meet financial need requirements as defined by the
2-23 coordinating board, unless the person is the child of an eligible
2-24 classroom teacher;
2-25 (4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or
2-26 certificate program at an eligible institution;
2-27 (5) be enrolled as:
3-1 (A) an entering undergraduate student for at
3-2 least three-fourths of a full course load for an entering
3-3 undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, not
3-4 later than the 16th month after the date of the person's graduation
3-5 from high school; or
3-6 (B) an entering student for at least
3-7 three-fourths of a full course load for an undergraduate student as
3-8 determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month
3-9 after the month the person receives an associate degree from an
3-10 eligible institution;
3-11 (6) have applied for any available financial aid or
3-12 assistance; and
3-13 (7) comply with any additional nonacademic requirement
3-14 adopted by the coordinating board under this subchapter.
3-15 SECTION 3. Section 56.305(a), Education Code, is amended to
3-16 read as follows:
3-17 (a) After initially qualifying for a TEXAS grant, a person
3-18 may continue to receive a TEXAS grant during each semester or term
3-19 in which the person is enrolled at an eligible institution only if
3-20 the person:
3-21 (1) meets financial need requirements as defined by
3-22 the coordinating board, unless the person is the child of an
3-23 eligible classroom teacher;
3-24 (2) is enrolled in an undergraduate degree or
3-25 certificate program at an eligible institution;
3-26 (3) is enrolled for at least three-fourths of a full
3-27 course load for an undergraduate student, as determined by the
4-1 coordinating board;
4-2 (4) makes satisfactory academic progress toward an
4-3 undergraduate degree or certificate; and
4-4 (5) complies with any additional nonacademic
4-5 requirement adopted by the coordinating board.
4-6 SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only to
4-7 a TEXAS grant awarded for a semester or summer session that begins
4-8 on or after January 1, 2002.
4-9 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
4-10 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
4-11 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
4-12 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
4-13 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.