85R4074 JRJ-D
 
  By: Giddings, et al. H.B. No. 971
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer
  early childhood education baccalaureate degree programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 130.0012, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (b-4), (b-5), (b-6), and (g-1) and amending
  Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (b-4)  The coordinating board shall authorize a
  baccalaureate degree program in early childhood education at each
  public junior college located in a county with a population of 2.2
  million or more and adjacent to a county with a population of more
  than 600,000 if:
               (1)  the county in which the public junior college is
  located has a demonstrated initial need for at least 2,400 early
  childhood educators based on the number of unserved children
  eligible for public early childhood education, assuming, only for
  purposes of calculating the need, a student to teacher ratio of 12
  to 1;
               (2)  the degree program curriculum is approved by the
  independent school districts located in the county that
  collectively represent at least 51 percent of the student
  population enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade; and
               (3)  one of the following:
                     (A)  before November 1, 2017, a regional public
  university located in the county in which the public junior college
  is located or an immediately adjacent county is unable to obtain the
  approval of the independent school districts located in the county
  in which the public junior college is located that collectively
  represent at least 51 percent of the student population enrolled in
  kindergarten through 12th grade for a detailed plan to:
                           (i)  expand degree output of early childhood
  and elementary certified teachers to collectively meet the
  three-year average hiring demands of the independent school
  districts located in the county in which the public junior college
  is located and immediately adjacent counties, including producing
  more prekindergarten teachers to support the planned increases in
  prekindergarten enrollment for all public schools;
                           (ii)  implement an early childhood education
  curriculum; and
                           (iii)  fund the expansion of current or
  development of new early childhood education programs, which does
  not include state funding for new facilities; or
                     (B)  before September 1, 2019, a regional public
  university that received the approval of independent school
  districts as described by Paragraph (A) is unable to demonstrate:
                           (i)  the necessary current student
  enrollment to produce sufficient early childhood and elementary
  certified teachers within the next four years to meet the existing
  hiring demands of the independent school districts located in the
  county in which the public junior college is located and
  immediately adjacent counties based on historical three-year
  averages, including producing more prekindergarten teachers to
  support the planned increases in prekindergarten enrollment for all
  public schools; and
                           (ii)  implementation of an early childhood
  education curriculum meeting the expressed needs of the independent
  school districts located in the county in which the public junior
  college is located that collectively represent at least 51 percent
  of the student population enrolled in kindergarten through 12th
  grade.
         (b-5)  A degree program created under Subsection (b-4) may
  not be authorized by the State Board for Educator Certification
  under Chapter 21 for a certification field above the third grade
  level.
         (b-6)  The coordinating board may not subsequently terminate
  authorization to offer an early childhood baccalaureate degree
  program granted under Subsection (b-4) on the ground that
  implementation of the degree program reduces the workforce need to
  a level that is below the minimal threshold specified in Subsection
  (b-4)(1).
         (g)  Except as provided by Subsection (g-1), in [In] its
  recommendations to the legislature relating to state funding for
  public junior colleges, the coordinating board shall recommend that
  a public junior college receive substantially the same state
  support for junior-level and senior-level courses offered under
  this section as that provided to a general academic teaching
  institution for substantially similar courses.  In determining the
  contact hours attributable to students enrolled in a junior-level
  or senior-level course offered under this section used to determine
  a public junior college's proportionate share of state
  appropriations under Section 130.003, the coordinating board shall
  weigh those contact hours as necessary to provide the junior
  college the appropriate level of state support to the extent state
  funds for those courses are included in the appropriations. This
  subsection does not prohibit the legislature from directly
  appropriating state funds to support junior-level and senior-level
  courses offered under this section.
         (g-1)  A degree program created under Subsection (b-4) may be
  funded only by a public junior college's proportionate share of
  state appropriations under Section 130.003, local funds, and
  private sources.  This subsection does not require the legislature
  to appropriate state funds to support a degree program created
  under Subsection (b-4).
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.