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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study of costs associated with dual credit courses |
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offered at public high schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.0091 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.0091. STUDY OF COSTS OF DUAL CREDIT COURSES. |
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(a) The agency shall conduct an ongoing study to examine costs |
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associated with dual credit courses offered at public high schools. |
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In conducting the study, the agency shall: |
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(1) collect from school districts, public |
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institutions of higher education, and the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board data relating to costs associated with dual |
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credit courses, including: |
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(A) tuition and required fees; |
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(B) the cost of required textbooks or other |
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instructional materials; |
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(C) the cost of student transportation to and |
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from the location at which a dual credit course is provided; |
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(D) any fee collected to pay the instructor of a |
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dual credit course; |
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(E) the cost of any assessment instrument |
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administered under Section 51.333 as a prerequisite for enrollment |
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in a dual credit course; |
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(F) the cost of using a facility at which a dual |
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credit course is provided; and |
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(G) any other associated costs identified during |
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the study; |
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(2) identify the sources of funding for dual credit |
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courses and the amount funded by each source; and |
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(3) consult with relevant stakeholders, including the |
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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the American Institutes |
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for Research, and the Texas Dual Credit Task Force. |
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(b) The agency may contract with any public or private |
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entity to conduct the study under this section. |
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(c) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the agency shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, |
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and the speaker of the house of representatives a report on the |
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results of the study under this section. The report must include a |
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comparison of: |
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(1) costs associated with dual credit courses offered |
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at public high schools generally and costs associated with dual |
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credit courses offered through a college and career readiness |
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school program, including: |
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(A) an early college high school program; |
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(B) the Pathways in Technology Early College High |
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School (P-TECH) program established under Section 29.553; |
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(C) an Industry Cluster Innovative Academy; and |
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(D) a Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, |
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and Mathematics (T-STEM) Center; and |
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(2) the cost associated with dual credit courses per |
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semester credit hour or the equivalent and the total cost |
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associated with those courses. |
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(d) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2020, the Texas |
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Education Agency shall submit the initial report required under |
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Section 28.0091, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. The Texas Education Agency is required to |
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implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature |
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appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the |
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legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the Texas Education Agency may, but is not required to, |
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implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations |
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available for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |