78R2686 SLO-D

By:  Castro                                                       H.B. No. 511



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a pilot program to monitor the postsecondary 
educational plans of seniors at certain public high schools.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 7, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 7.027 to read as follows:
	Sec. 7.027.  POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION SURVEY PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) The agency shall establish a postsecondary education survey 
pilot program to monitor the postsecondary education plans of 
seniors at high schools that participate in the program.
	(b)  Not later than August 1, 2004, the agency shall select 
five noncharter high schools to participate in the pilot program.  
The agency may select only a school that is:
		(1)  willing to participate in the pilot program; and                  
		(2)  located in a municipality that has at least 10 
independent school districts in the municipality.
	(c)  During the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years, a 
counselor at each participating school shall administer a survey to 
each senior, to the extent practicable, before the last day of the 
school year.  The survey must include questions to obtain the 
following information:
		(1)  whether the student is planning to apply or has 
applied for admission to a postsecondary educational institution;
		(2)  the name of any postsecondary educational 
institution to which the student is planning to apply or has applied 
for admission, if applicable;
		(3)  the name of any postsecondary educational 
institution to which the student has been accepted for admission, 
if applicable; and
		(4)  the name of the postsecondary educational 
institution to which the student has been accepted for admission 
and is planning to attend, if applicable.
	(d)  A counselor at each participating school shall mail or 
otherwise deliver the results of the surveys to the agency not later 
than the 30th day after the last day of the school year.  The agency 
shall include the results of the surveys in the comprehensive 
annual reports required under Section 39.182 for the 2004-2005 and 
2005-2006 school years.
	(e)  The agency may adopt rules as necessary to implement 
this section.
	(f)  This section expires December 31, 2006.                            
	SECTION 2.  The Texas Education Agency shall adopt any rules 
necessary to implement Section 7.027, Education Code, as added by 
this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this 
Act.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.