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79R15074 SLO-D
By: King of Zavala H.B. No. 2372
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2372:
By: Goolsby C.S.H.B. No. 2372
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a college entrance examination preparation pilot
program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter K to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER K. COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION
PREPARATION PILOT PROGRAM
Sec. 29.401. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "College entrance examination" means an
assessment instrument, such as the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
and the American College Test (ACT), used by colleges and
universities in determining student admissions.
(2) "Preparation course" means a college entrance
examination preparation course.
(3) "Program" means the college entrance examination
preparation pilot program.
Sec. 29.402. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM; GUIDELINES AND
CRITERIA. (a) From funds appropriated for the purpose, the agency
shall establish a college entrance examination preparation pilot
program for the purpose of enabling a participating campus to offer
a college entrance examination preparation course to participating
students.
(b) The agency shall establish:
(1) clear guidelines for the program, including
guidelines for participating campuses to follow in implementing the
program; and
(2) criteria for participating campuses to use in
selecting students to participate in the program.
Sec. 29.403. APPROVED VENDORS. The agency shall:
(1) establish a process for approving a vendor to
provide preparation course instruction for participating campuses;
and
(2) compile a list of approved vendors.
Sec. 29.404. CAMPUS ELIGIBILITY. A campus is eligible to
participate in the program only if at least 40 percent of the
students enrolled at the campus:
(1) are educationally disadvantaged; or
(2) are students at risk of dropping out of school as
defined by Section 29.081(d).
Sec. 29.405. APPLICATION PROCESS. (a) A campus, or a
school district on behalf of one or more district campuses, may
apply to the agency to participate in the program. The application
submitted by the campus or district must include a detailed
proposal that:
(1) describes the manner in which the campus proposes
to:
(A) recruit students to and achieve and maintain
strong student attendance and participation in the program; and
(B) assist participating students in completing
the preparation course and taking a college entrance examination;
(2) describes how the campus proposes to schedule a
preparation course so that the course does not interfere with
participating students' regular curriculum requirements or
extracurricular activities;
(3) describes the manner in which the campus will be
responsible for the logistical requirements of the program;
(4) identifies a campus program coordinator; and
(5) describes the manner in which the campus will
report the effectiveness of the program to the agency.
(b) On the basis of applications submitted under this
section, the agency shall select to participate in the program
campuses that are eligible to participate under Section 29.404.
Sec. 29.406. FUNDING; CAMPUS IMPLEMENTATION OF PROGRAM.
(a) A participating campus is entitled to receive a grant from the
agency in an amount, determined by the agency, sufficient to
implement the program. The agency may not spend more than a total
of $2 million in any fiscal biennium in awarding grants under this
section.
(b) A participating campus shall select a vendor from the
agency's list of approved vendors under Section 29.403 to offer a
college entrance examination preparation course at the campus.
(c) Using grant funds received under Subsection (a), a
participating campus must provide for the logistical requirements
of the preparation course, such as the course's location and
transportation to the course, and supplies, such as pencils and
calculators.
Sec. 29.407. EVALUATION; REPORT. (a) Each participating
campus shall, with the assistance of the vendor serving the campus,
report preparation course performance data to the agency. The
performance data must include aggregated student scores and
progress reports, including the college entrance examination
scores of participating students.
(b) The agency shall conduct an evaluation of the program.
Each participating campus shall cooperate with the agency to ensure
an effective evaluation.
(c) The agency shall report the results of the evaluation to
the legislature not later than December 31, 2006.
Sec. 29.408. RULES. The commissioner shall adopt rules
necessary to administer this subchapter.
Sec. 29.409. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires August 1,
2007.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the commissioner of education shall adopt rules for
implementing the college entrance examination preparation pilot
program as required by Subchapter K, Chapter 29, Education Code, as
added by this Act. The commissioner of education shall make the
college entrance examination preparation pilot program available
for school campus participation for the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007
school years.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.