By: Perry, et al. S.B. No. 13

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to measures to support public school student academic achievement and career preparation, including measures to improve and support dual credit courses and the development of public outreach materials.

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

SECTION 1. Section 28.009(b), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) The agency shall coordinate with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board as necessary in administering this section. The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary concerning the duties under this section of a school district. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt rules as necessary concerning the duties under this section of a public institution of higher education. A rule may not limit the number of dual credit courses or hours in which a student may enroll while in high school or limit the number of dual credit courses or hours in which a student may enroll each semester or academic year.

SECTION 2. (a) Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 28.015 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.015. PUBLIC OUTREACH MATERIALS TO PROMOTE CURRICULUM CHANGE AWARENESS. (a) The agency shall develop uniform public outreach materials that explain the importance and outline the details of public school curriculum changes under Chapter 211 (H.B. 5), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, and subsequent associated decisions by the State Board of Education. The agency shall make the materials available to school districts.

(b) The materials developed under this section must:

(1) be available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese;

(2) be in a form that would allow school districts to mail the information to students and parents; and

(3) include an explanation of:

(A) the basic career and college readiness components of each endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);

(B) the curriculum requirements to gain automatic college admission under Section 51.803; and

(C) applicable course, graduation plan, and endorsement requirements for financial aid authorized under Title 3, including curriculum requirements for:

(i) the TEXAS grant as provided under Subchapter M, Chapter 56;

(ii) the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program as provided under Subchapter P, Chapter 56; and

(iii) the Texas B-On-time loan program as provided under Subchapter Q, Chapter 56.

(c) This section expires September 1, 2018.

(b) The Texas Education Agency shall develop the materials described under Section 28.015, Education Code, as added by this section, no later than December 1, 2015.

SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 28.016 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.016. INSTRUCTION IN HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND CAREER PREPARATION. (a) Each school district shall provide instruction to students in grades seven or eight in preparing for high school, college, and a career.

(b) The instruction must include information regarding:

(1) the creation of a high school personal graduation plan under Section 28.02121;

(2) the distinguished level of achievement described by Section 28.025(b-15);

(3) each endorsement described by Section 28.025(c-1);

(4) college readiness standards; and

(5) potential career choices and the education needed to enter those careers.

(c) A school district may provide the instruction as a part of any existing course or may establish a new course through which to provide the instruction.

SECTION 4. Section 130.008, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read as follows:

(g) A course offered for joint high school and junior college credit under this section must be taught by a qualified instructor approved or selected by the public junior college. For purposes of this subsection, an instructor is qualified if the instructor holds:

(1) a doctoral or master's degree in the discipline that is the subject of the course; or

(2) a master's degree in another discipline with a concentration that required completion of a minimum of 18 graduate semester hours in the discipline that is the subject of the course.

(h) Not later than the 60th day after receipt, a public junior college shall approve or reject an application for approval to teach a course at a high school that is submitted by an instructor employed by the school district, organization, or other person that operates the high school with which the junior college entered into an agreement under this section to offer the course.

SECTION 5. Section 303.003(b-2), Labor Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b-2) In addition to the purposes described by Subsections (b) and (b-1), in each state fiscal biennium, an amount of money from the skills development fund not to exceed five percent of the amount of general revenue appropriated to the skills development fund for that biennium may be used as provided by this subsection. Funds available to the commission from other sources may also be used as provided by this subsection. Funds may be awarded under this subsection to a lower-division institution of higher education to be used under an agreement with a school district, or to a school district to be used under an agreement with a lower-division institution of higher education, to support courses offered for joint high school and college-level credit or offered under a college credit career or technical education program that leads to an industry-recognized license, credential, or certificate. Appropriate uses of funds awarded under this subsection include purchasing or repairing necessary equipment for a course and developing a course curriculum. A course or program supported under this subsection must:

(1) have the endorsement of, or a letter of support from, at least one employer in this state; and

(2) be targeted to address the needs of high-demand fields or occupations, as identified by the applicable local workforce development board.

SECTION 6. Section 28.016, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.

SECTION 7. 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, 2015.