83R3454 KKA-F
 
  By: J. Davis of Harris H.B. No. 2556
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to an approval process for career and technology education
  courses offered by school districts.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 28.002(f), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (f)  A school district may offer courses for local credit in
  addition to those in the required curriculum. The State Board of
  Education shall be flexible in approving a course for credit for
  high school graduation under this subsection. Approval of a career
  and technology education course is subject to Section 28.029.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 28.029 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.029.  CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION COURSES. (a)
  In this section, "board" means the State Board of Education.
         (b)  A school district may submit one or more career and
  technology education courses for review and approval by the board
  to satisfy requirements imposed under Section 28.002(a)(2)(E).
         (c)  Not later than January 1 of the school year preceding
  the first school year for which the district requests approval, the
  district must submit a detailed description of the course,
  including the curriculum, instructional materials, and required
  equipment, if any, and any other information required by the board.
         (d)  If the board does not approve or disapprove the course
  before the 90th day after the date on which the district's completed
  application is received, the course is considered approved to
  satisfy the requirements imposed under Section 28.002(a)(2)(E).
         (e)  After a course is approved in accordance with this
  section, any school district may offer the course to satisfy the
  requirements imposed under Section 28.002(a)(2)(E).
         (f)  Approval obtained under this section remains in effect
  for three school years. After the third school year, any school
  district may request and obtain approval of the course for an
  additional three-year period in the same manner as the initial
  request under this section. There is no limit on the number of
  times that a course may be approved for an additional three-year
  period.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.