H.B. No. 34

AN ACT

relating to including in the public high school curriculum instruction in methods of paying for postsecondary education and training.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 28.0021, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (b) and (c) to read as follows:

(a) The Texas essential knowledge and skills and Section 28.025 shall require instruction in personal financial literacy, including instruction in methods of paying for college and other postsecondary education and training, in one or more courses required for high school graduation.

(b) Each school district and each open-enrollment charter school that offers a high school program shall provide to a student instruction in personal financial literacy in any course meeting the requirements for an economics credit under Section 28.025, using materials approved by the State Board of Education. The instruction in personal financial literacy must include instruction on completing the application for federal student aid provided by the United States Department of Education. In fulfilling the requirement to provide financial literacy instruction under this section, a school district or open-enrollment charter school may use an existing state, federal, private, or nonprofit program that provides students without charge the instruction described under this section. Each district and each open-enrollment charter school that offers a high school program shall ensure that a district or charter school student enrolled at an institution of higher education in a dual credit course meeting the requirements for an economics credit under Section 28.025 receives the instruction described under this subsection.

(c) The State Board of Education shall, not later than January 31, 2012, identify the essential knowledge and skills of personal financial literacy instruction to include instruction in methods of paying for college and other postsecondary education and training and shall, not later than August 31, 2012, approve under Subsection (b) materials that provide for such instruction. Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, each school district and each open-enrollment charter school that offers a high school program shall include, in required instruction in personal financial literacy, instruction in methods of paying for college and other postsecondary education and training and use materials approved for that purpose under Subsection (b) and shall ensure that the instruction described under this subsection is provided to a district or charter school student enrolled at an institution of higher education in a dual credit course meeting the requirements for an economics credit . This subsection expires September 1, 2014.

SECTION 2. Section 28.0021(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, applies to a student entering grade nine on or after the effective date of this Act.

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, 2011.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 34 was passed by the House on April 21, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 1, 1 present, not voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 34 on May 19, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, 3 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 34 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 16, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________

Date

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Governor