87R7307 KJE-D
 
  By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 2031
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment by the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board of a grant program for regional postsecondary
  education collaboratives.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter W to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER W. REGIONAL POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
  COLLABORATIVES GRANT PROGRAM
         Sec. 61.931.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Low-income student" means a student who is
  eligible to receive a grant under the federal Pell Grant program.
               (2)  "Regional postsecondary education collaborative"
  means a partnership or other collaboration between stakeholders in
  education, such as school districts, institutions of higher
  education, employers, and communities, to improve postsecondary
  educational outcomes in a region of the state.
         Sec. 61.932.  GRANT PROGRAM. (a)  The board shall establish
  and administer a competitive grant program under which the board
  awards grants to eligible regional postsecondary education
  collaboratives to improve postsecondary educational outcomes for
  low-income students in the state.
         (b)  In awarding grants under the program, the board shall
  give priority to eligible regional postsecondary education
  collaboratives that:
               (1)  focus on supporting low-income students; or
               (2)  have a demonstrated connection to critical
  workforce fields, as determined by the board.
         Sec. 61.933.  ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive a grant
  under this subchapter, a regional postsecondary education
  collaborative must:
               (1)  raise a minimum amount of funding from other
  sources for the collaborative's costs, as established by board
  rule;
               (2)  provide, at a minimum, a scholarship to students
  in an amount that, when combined with other federal or state student
  financial assistance for which the student is eligible, covers the
  full cost of tuition and required fees for two academic years at a
  public junior college;
               (3)  build partnerships committed to changing
  postsecondary education systems and improving postsecondary
  educational outcomes through the use of data, mutual
  accountability, and engagement between a student and the student's
  community;
               (4)  measure the collaborative's success by achievement
  of increasing postsecondary enrollment and completion at any
  institution of higher education and career entry for all students
  the collaborative assists;
               (5)  provide personalized outreach to students and
  parents;
               (6)  provide proactive, holistic supports to assist
  students in postsecondary persistence and completion and in
  connecting with employers; and
               (7)  satisfy any additional requirements established
  by board rule.
         Sec. 61.934.  GRANT AMOUNT. (a)  A grant awarded to an
  eligible regional postsecondary education collaborative under the
  program must be made for two sequential academic years and consists
  of:
               (1)  an initial amount at the beginning of each
  academic year equal to $1,000 for each low-income student who:
                     (A)  graduated from high school in the preceding
  school year; and
                     (B)  enrolls at an institution of higher education
  for that academic year with the assistance of the collaborative;
  and
               (2)  at the end of the academic year for which the
  initial amount under Subdivision (1) is awarded, a bonus for each
  student described by Subdivision (1) who:
                     (A)  persists at an institution of higher
  education, as defined by the board, except that the bonus may be
  awarded only for the number of those students in excess of the
  number of students described by Subdivision (1) who would need to
  persist at an institution of higher education for the students'
  persistence rate to be equal to the statewide persistence rate of
  low-income students at institutions of higher education during the
  2018-2019 academic year; or
                     (B)  timely completes a certificate or degree
  program at an institution of higher education, as provided by
  Subsection (d), except that the bonus may be awarded only for the
  number of those students in excess of the number of students
  described by Subdivision (1) who would need to timely complete a
  certificate or degree program at an institution of higher education
  for the students' timely completion rate to be equal to the
  statewide timely completion rate of low-income students at
  institutions of higher education during the 2018-2019 academic
  year.
         (b)  The bonus per student under Subsection (a)(2)(A) is an
  amount equal to $25 million divided by the total number of students
  who qualify for the bonus.
         (c)  The bonus per student under Subsection (a)(2)(B) is an
  amount equal to $20 million divided by the total number of students
  who qualify for the bonus.
         (d)  For purposes of this section, "timely completion" means
  completion of a certificate or degree program within one and
  one-half times the number of calendar years generally required to
  complete the program, as determined by the board.
         Sec. 61.935.  GRANT USE. A grant awarded to an eligible
  regional postsecondary education collaborative under this
  subchapter may be used only for:
               (1)  staff support for the collaborative;
               (2)  student services designed to increase
  postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion;
               (3)  student financial assistance;
               (4)  programs that provide training for regional jobs
  in high demand that pay a living wage; and
               (5)  other expenses approved by the board.
         Sec. 61.936.  REPORTING. (a)  Each regional postsecondary
  education collaborative that receives a grant under this subchapter
  shall collect and report to the board information regarding
  postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion,
  disaggregated by semester or term, as required by the board to
  assist the board in fulfilling its duties under this subchapter.
         (b)  Not later than December 1 of each year, the board shall
  submit to the legislature a report on the effectiveness of the grant
  program established under this subchapter and any recommendations
  for legislative or other action.
         Sec. 61.937.  RULES. The board may adopt rules as necessary
  to implement this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.938.  FEDERAL FUNDING CONTINGENCY. The board is
  required to implement the grant program established under this
  subchapter only if federal funding is provided to the board for that
  purpose as part of any federal coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
  relief spending appropriated on or after January 1, 2021. If such
  funding is not provided for that purpose, the board may, but is not
  required to, implement the grant program using other money
  available to the board for that purpose.
         SECTION 2.  (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
  Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter W, Chapter 61,
  Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
  the effective date of this Act.
         (b)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
  begin awarding grants under Subchapter W, Chapter 61, Education
  Code, as added by this Act, for the first academic year for which
  federal funding is appropriated for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  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, 2021.