| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to tuition and fees exemptions at public institutions of |
|
|
higher education for certain dual credit students considering a |
|
|
teaching career. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. The heading to Section 54.363, Education Code, |
|
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 54.363. GROW YOUR OWN EDUCATOR EXEMPTION [EDUCATIONAL
|
|
|
AIDES]. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 54.363, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsections (b), (c), and (c-1) and adding Subsection |
|
|
(c-2) to read as follows: |
|
|
(b) The governing board of an institution of higher |
|
|
education shall exempt an eligible educational aide or high school |
|
|
student from the payment of tuition and fees, other than class or |
|
|
laboratory fees. |
|
|
(c) To be eligible for an exemption under this section as an |
|
|
educational aide, a person must: |
|
|
(1) be a resident of this state; |
|
|
(2) be a school employee serving in any capacity; |
|
|
(3) for the initial term or semester for which the |
|
|
person receives an exemption under this section, have worked as an |
|
|
educational aide for at least one school year during the five years |
|
|
preceding that term or semester; |
|
|
(4) establish financial need as determined by |
|
|
coordinating board rule; |
|
|
(5) be enrolled at the institution of higher education |
|
|
granting the exemption in courses required for teacher |
|
|
certification in one or more subject areas determined by the Texas |
|
|
Education Agency to be experiencing a critical shortage of teachers |
|
|
at the public schools in this state; |
|
|
(6) maintain an acceptable grade point average as |
|
|
determined by coordinating board rule; and |
|
|
(7) comply with any other requirements adopted by the |
|
|
coordinating board under this section. |
|
|
(c-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (c)(5), a person who |
|
|
previously received a tuition exemption under this section as an |
|
|
educational aide remains eligible for an exemption if the person: |
|
|
(1) is enrolled at an institution of higher education |
|
|
granting the exemption in courses required for teacher |
|
|
certification; and |
|
|
(2) meets the eligibility requirements in Subsection |
|
|
(c) other than Subsection (c)(5). |
|
|
(c-2) To be eligible for an exemption under this section as |
|
|
a high school student, a person must: |
|
|
(1) be enrolled at a public high school in dual credit |
|
|
courses under Section 28.009 offered through the institution of |
|
|
higher education granting the exception; |
|
|
(2) be a member of a future teacher association; and |
|
|
(3) comply with any other requirements adopted by the |
|
|
coordinating board under this section. |
|
|
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
|
|
of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
|
|
adopt or amend rules to implement Section 54.363, Education Code, |
|
|
as amended by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |