BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2202
86R11579 KSD-D	By: Fallon
	Higher Education
	4/8/2019
	As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program awards grants to certain public junior colleges to help fund the start-up costs associated with the development of new career and technical education (CTE) programs. To receive funding from the program, an institution must match funds either through industry consortia, community or foundation grants, individual contributions, or local governmental operating funds. In 2015, the program was extended to independent school districts to further career and technical education development at all levels of education. Independent school districts may receive a grant if they partner with a public junior college, public technical institute, or a public state college. Independent school districts in rural areas may not have access to one of these institutions. S.B. 2202 adds, for rural independent school districts, partnering with a local manufacturing facility in the area to be eligible for grants under this program.

 

S.B. 2202 requires the Texas Workforce Commission to submit a biennial report on the grant activities, high-demand occupations, and disaggregated data on the number of students benefiting from the grant, achievement toward a certificate, degree or industry certification, the number of students entering the workforce, and the loss or gain of manufacturing jobs.

 

As proposed, S.B. 2202 amends current law relating to the administration of the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Workforce Commission in SECTION 2 (Section 134.007, Education Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 134.004, Education Code, by adding Subsection (c) to require the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), in awarding grants under this chapter (Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program), to the extent feasible, to distribute grants equally across geographic areas of this state.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 134.007, Education Code, as follows:

 

Sec. 134.007. GRANTS AWARDED TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text and makes no further changes.

 

(b) Authorizes an independent school district located in a rural area of this state in which no public junior college, public technical institute, or public state college is located in close geographic proximity to the district to, notwithstanding Subsection (a) (relating to authorizing TWC to award grants to independent school districts that have entered into certain partnerships), be awarded a grant under this chapter to provide career and technical education courses or programs to students in the district in partnership with a local manufacturing facility in the area. Requires TWC to adopt rules for the administration of this subsection.

 

SECTION 3. Amends �Chapter 134, Education Code, by adding Section 134.009, as follows:

 

Sec. 134.009. BIENNIAL REPORT. (a) Requires TWC, not later than November 1 of each even‑numbered year, to prepare and submit to each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over workforce development or higher education a report regarding the grant activities and grant recipients under this chapter, including the results and outcomes of grants awarded under this chapter.

 

(b) Requires the report to:

 

(1) identify high-demand occupations in this state and evaluate how grants awarded under this chapter have been used to support courses or programs that prepare students for employment in those occupations; and

 

(2) include the following data for the most recent two-year period for which the information is available, disaggregated by appropriate region as determined by TWC:

 

(A) the number of students receiving career and technical education funded by grants awarded under this chapter;

 

(B) the number of students attaining a certificate, a degree, or an industry certification or other workforce credential as a result of receiving career and technical education funded by grants awarded under this chapter;

 

(C) the number of students entering the workforce who received career and technical education funded by grants awarded under this chapter; and

 

(D) any losses or gains in manufacturing jobs and the effect of those losses or gains on workforce education needs.

 

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2019.