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.