By: Branch, Lewis, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro) H.B. No. 34
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2011;
  April 29, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Education; May 11, 2011, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 11, 2011, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
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.
         (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). 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.
 
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