AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, a school district is not required to pay a student's tuition or other associated costs for taking a course that provides college credit (e.g., dual credit, International Baccalaureate, or Advanced Placement courses). This provision is set to expire on September 1, 2011.
In 2008-2009, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) sent notice to districts stating that a school district could not count students in attendance for state funding purposes in dual credit courses if those students were charged any tuition, fees, or textbook costs. Due to concerns raised by legislators, TEA delayed implementing the policy until the legislature had a chance to address the issue during the 81st Legislature. During the 81st Legislature, the statute was amended to allow districts to continue to count students in attendance for state funding purposes if those students pay any portion of tuition, fees, or textbook costs until September 1, 2011.
S.B. 1619 amends current law relating to participation of public high school students in college credit programs.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 28.009(a-2), Education Code, to provide that this subsection (relating to a school district not being required to pay a student's tuition or other associated costs for taking a course under this section) expires September 1, 2013, rather than September 1, 2011.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 42.005(g), Education Code, as effective September 1, 2011, to require that the time during which a student attends a course, if a student is authorized to receive course credit toward the student's high school academic requirements and toward the student's higher education academic requirements for a single course, including a course provided under Section 28.009 (College Credit Program) by a public institution of higher education, be counted as part of the minimum number of instructional hours required for a student to be considered a full-time student in average daily attendance for purposes of this section.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or August 31, 2011.