|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to assisting certain children who are in foster care or who |
|
have been adopted in the process of applying to institutions of |
|
higher education. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 264.1211 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 264.1211. FACILITATION OF TRANSITION TO INSTITUTION OF |
|
HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) In this section, "community resource |
|
coordination group" means a coordination group established under a |
|
memorandum of understanding under Section 531.055, Government |
|
Code. |
|
(b) A department employee who is a member of a community |
|
resource coordination group shall: |
|
(1) inform the group about the tuition and fee waivers |
|
for institutions of higher education that are available to eligible |
|
children in foster care under Section 54.366, Education Code, and |
|
eligible adopted children under Section 54.367, Education Code; and |
|
(2) collaborate with the superintendent of each school |
|
district in the area served by the group and each school counselor |
|
assigned to a campus in the area served by the group to identify |
|
foster children and adopted children who are eligible for tuition |
|
and fee waivers at an institution of higher education under |
|
Sections 54.366 and 54.367, Education Code. |
|
(c) After identifying eligible children under Subsection |
|
(b)(2), the department employee shall facilitate each child's |
|
transition to an institution of higher education by: |
|
(1) assisting the child with the completion of any |
|
applications for admission or for financial aid; |
|
(2) arranging and accompanying the child on campus |
|
visits; |
|
(3) assisting the child in researching and applying |
|
for private or institution-sponsored scholarships; |
|
(4) identifying whether the child is a candidate for |
|
appointment to a military academy; and |
|
(5) assisting the child in registering and preparing |
|
for college entrance examinations, including arranging for the |
|
payment of any examination fees by the department. |
|
SECTION 2. 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, 2017. |