By: Bivins S.B. No. 1817
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to a plan to increase enrollment of public school students
1-3 in institutions of higher education.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 29.903 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 29.903. PLAN TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT IN INSTITUTIONS OF
1-8 HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) This section applies only to a school
1-9 district with one or more high schools that:
1-10 (1) during the preceding five years, have had an
1-11 average of at least 26 students in the high school graduating
1-12 class; and
1-13 (2) for any two consecutive years during the preceding
1-14 five years, have been among the lowest 10 percent of high schools
1-15 in this state in the percentage of students graduating from the
1-16 high school and enrolling for the following academic year in an
1-17 institution of higher education.
1-18 (b) The agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-19 Board shall collaborate in identifying each school district to
1-20 which this section applies. Not later than May 1 of each year:
1-21 (1) the agency shall notify a district to which this
1-22 section applies of the applicability of this section to the
1-23 district unless the district is operating under a plan required by
1-24 this section; and
1-25 (2) the coordinating board shall notify each public
2-1 institution of higher education in this state in closest geographic
2-2 proximity to a district to which this section applies of the
2-3 applicability of this section to the district unless the district
2-4 is operating under a plan required by this section.
2-5 (c) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, not
2-6 later than August 1 of the year in which a school district receives
2-7 notice under Subsection (b), the district shall enter into an
2-8 agreement with the public institution of higher education in this
2-9 state in closest geographic proximity to the district to develop a
2-10 plan to increase the percentage of the district's graduating
2-11 seniors who enroll in an institution of higher education for the
2-12 academic year following graduation. The public institution of
2-13 higher education in this state in closest geographic proximity to
2-14 the district shall enter into an agreement under this subsection
2-15 unless that institution of higher education or the district
2-16 recruits another public institution of higher education in this
2-17 state to enter into that agreement. A district and the public
2-18 institution of higher education entering into the agreement with
2-19 the district may also enter into an agreement with one or more
2-20 other public institutions of higher education in this state to
2-21 participate in developing the plan.
2-22 (d) A plan developed under this section:
2-23 (1) must establish clear, achievable goals for
2-24 increasing the percentage of the school district's graduating
2-25 seniors, particularly the graduating seniors attending a high
2-26 school described by Subsection (a), who enroll in an institution of
3-1 higher education for the academic year following graduation;
3-2 (2) must establish an accurate method of measuring
3-3 progress toward the goals established under Subdivision (1) that
3-4 may include the percentage of district high school students and the
3-5 percentage of students attending a district high school described
3-6 by Subsection (a) who:
3-7 (A) are enrolled in a course for which a student
3-8 may earn college credit, such as an advanced placement or
3-9 international baccalaureate course or a course offered through
3-10 concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of
3-11 higher education;
3-12 (B) are enrolled in courses that meet the
3-13 curriculum requirements for the recommended or advanced high school
3-14 program as determined under Section 28.025;
3-15 (C) have submitted a free application for
3-16 federal student aid (FAFSA);
3-17 (D) are exempt under Section 51.306(l) or (m)
3-18 from administration of a test instrument under Section 51.306 or
3-19 have performed successfully on a test instrument under Section
3-20 51.306;
3-21 (E) graduate from high school;
3-22 (F) graduate from an institution of higher
3-23 education; and
3-24 (G) have taken college entrance examinations and
3-25 the average score of those students on the examinations;
3-26 (3) must cover a period of at least five years; and
4-1 (4) may be directed at district students at any level
4-2 of primary or secondary education.
4-3 (e) A school district shall file the plan with the
4-4 commissioner of education and the commissioner of higher education.
4-5 (f) A school district must implement the plan at the
4-6 beginning of the school year following the year during which the
4-7 district receives notice under Subsection (b).
4-8 (g) A school district may revise the plan as necessary in
4-9 response to achieving or failing to achieve goals under the plan.
4-10 SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 29.903, Education Code,
4-11 as added by this Act, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas
4-12 Higher Education Coordinating Board shall identify initial school
4-13 districts to which that section applies and provide notice to the
4-14 districts or public institutions of higher education, as
4-15 applicable, as prescribed by Subsection (b), Section 29.903,
4-16 Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
4-17 the effective date of this Act but not later than September 30,
4-18 2001. Each initial school district identified shall enter into an
4-19 agreement with a public institution of higher education in this
4-20 state, as prescribed by Subsection (c), Section 29.903, Education
4-21 Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after receiving
4-22 notice in accordance with this section but not later than December
4-23 31, 2001. Each initial school district shall implement a plan to
4-24 increase enrollment of public school students in institutions of
4-25 higher education, as prescribed by Section 29.903, Education Code,
4-26 as added by this Act, beginning with the 2002-2003 school year.
5-1 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
5-2 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
5-3 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
5-4 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
5-5 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.