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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to career and technical education provided by school |
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districts and certain postsecondary institutions. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.0022 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.0022. REVIEW PANEL FOR CAREER AND TECHNICAL |
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EDUCATION CURRICULUM. (a) Not later than November 1, 2007, the |
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agency shall establish a panel under this section to: |
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(1) review and recommend revisions to the career and |
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technical education curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(2)(F); and |
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(2) review and recommend revisions for the program in |
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which high schools and articulated postsecondary institutions |
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allow high school students to take advanced technical credit |
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courses. |
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(b) The panel established under this section shall consist |
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of: |
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(1) individuals who have expertise developing or |
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administering career and technical education programs; and |
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(2) employers who hire students who have obtained |
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certification or credentials under a career and technical education |
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program. |
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(c) A member of the panel serves on a voluntary basis |
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without compensation. |
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(d) Not later than November 1, 2008, the panel shall: |
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(1) complete the review as required by this section |
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of: |
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(A) the career and technical education |
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curriculum; and |
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(B) the program under which high schools and |
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articulated postsecondary institutions allow high school students |
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to take advanced technical credit courses; and |
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(2) make recommendations to the State Board of |
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Education as necessary to: |
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(A) increase the academic rigor of the career and |
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technical education curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(2)(F); and |
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(B) improve and increase participation in the |
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program under which high schools and articulated postsecondary |
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institutions allow high school students to take advanced technical |
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credit courses. |
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(e) Not later than September 1, 2009, the State Board of |
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Education by rule shall revise the essential knowledge and skills |
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of the career and technical education curriculum as provided by |
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Section 28.002(c) based on the recommendations of the panel under |
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Subsection (d). The State Board of Education shall require school |
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districts to provide instruction in the career and technical |
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education curriculum, as revised under this subsection, beginning |
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with the 2010-2011 school year. |
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(f) This section expires September 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 2. Section 28.009, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) Each school district shall implement a program under |
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which students may earn the equivalent of at least 12 semester |
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credit hours of college credit in high school. On request, a public |
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institution of higher education in this state shall assist a school |
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district in developing and implementing the program. The college |
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credit may be earned through: |
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(1) international baccalaureate, advanced placement, |
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or dual credit courses; |
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(2) articulated postsecondary courses provided for |
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local credit or articulated postsecondary advanced technical |
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credit courses provided for state credit; or |
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(3) any combination of the courses described by |
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Subdivisions (1) and (2). |
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(c) Each school district shall annually report to the |
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agency: |
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(1) the number of district students, including career |
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and technical students, who have participated in the program and |
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earned college credit; and |
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(2) the cumulative number of courses in which |
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participating district students have enrolled and college credit |
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hours the students have earned. |
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(d) In this section: |
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(1) "Career and technical student" means: |
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(A) a secondary education student who has entered |
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the first course in a sequence of two or more technical courses for |
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three or more credits in a career and technical education program; |
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or |
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(B) a student who: |
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(i) is enrolled in an academic or workforce |
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course that is part of a sequence of courses leading to an |
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industry-recognized credential, certificate, or degree; and |
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(ii) has declared that sequence of courses |
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as the student's major course of study. |
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(2) "Sequence of courses" means career and technical |
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education courses approved by the State Board of Education, |
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innovative courses approved by the State Board of Education that |
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are provided for local credit, or a tech-prep program of study under |
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Section 61.852. |
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SECTION 3. Section 28.0212, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
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(g) Each school district is encouraged to establish for each |
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student entering grade nine a personal graduation plan that |
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identifies a course of study that: |
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(1) promotes: |
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(A) college and workforce readiness; and |
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(B) career placement and advancement; and |
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(2) facilitates the student's transition from |
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secondary to postsecondary education. |
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SECTION 4. Section 28.025, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b-1) and adding Subsection (b-2) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b-1) The State Board of Education by rule shall require |
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that: |
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(1) except as provided by Subsection (b-2), the |
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curriculum requirements for the recommended and advanced high |
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school programs under Subsection (a) include a requirement that |
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students successfully complete four courses in each subject of the |
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foundation curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(1); and |
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(2) one or more courses offered in the required |
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curriculum for the recommended and advanced high school programs |
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include a research writing component. |
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(b-2) In adopting rules under Subsection (b-1), the State |
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Board of Education shall allow a student to comply with the |
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curriculum requirements for a mathematics course under Subsection |
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(b-1)(1) taken after the successful completion of an Algebra II |
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course or science course under Subsection (b-1)(1) taken after the |
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successful completion of a physics course by successfully |
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completing an advanced career and technical course designated by |
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the State Board of Education as containing substantively similar |
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and rigorous academic content. A student may use the option |
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provided by this subsection for not more than two courses. |
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SECTION 5. Section 42.154, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, |
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the commissioner shall develop and implement a pilot program under |
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which a school district is entitled to additional funding for each |
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student receiving career and technology instruction in grade eight. |
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The commissioner shall select not more than five school districts |
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for participation in the pilot program. In selecting school |
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districts for participation, the commissioner shall consider |
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school districts that can provide services under the program at the |
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least cost. For each full-time equivalent student in grade eight in |
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average daily attendance in an approved career and technology |
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education program, a school district participating in the program |
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under this subsection is entitled to an annual allotment equal to |
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the adjusted basic allotment multiplied by a weight of 1.35. Funds |
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allocated under this subsection, other than an indirect cost |
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allotment established under State Board of Education rule, must be |
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used in providing career and technology programs in grade eight |
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under Sections 29.182, 29.183, and 29.184. A school district is |
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entitled to an allotment under this subsection for each school year |
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through the completion of the 2011-2012 school year. Not later than |
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January 1, 2013, the agency shall prepare and deliver to each member |
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of the legislature a report describing the effectiveness of the |
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pilot program described by this subsection. This subsection |
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expires February 1, 2013. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all of the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |
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