87R7725 KJE-F
 
  By: Rogers H.B. No. 2766
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a rural dual credit pilot program by the
  Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 61.0765 to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.0765.  RURAL DUAL CREDIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The
  board shall establish a pilot program under which the board awards
  grants to participating public junior colleges to provide financial
  assistance to educationally disadvantaged high school students for
  all or part of the cost of enrolling in dual credit courses at the
  college.
         (b)  The board shall select not more than 10 public junior
  colleges in the small or medium public junior college peer group, as
  identified by the board, to participate in the pilot program. In
  selecting public junior colleges, the board shall, to the extent
  practicable, ensure that at least one public junior college from
  each region of the state is included.
         (c)  A participating public junior college must:
               (1)  use grant funds awarded under this section to
  provide financial assistance to eligible students for all or part
  of the cost of tuition and required fees for dual credit courses at
  the college;
               (2)  work with high schools that partner with the
  college to provide dual credit courses and elect to participate in
  the pilot program to:
                     (A)  inform eligible students regarding the pilot
  program and how those courses relate to postsecondary education and
  career paths; and
                     (B)  assist eligible students in applying to
  enroll in those courses; and
               (3)  collect and report to the board data on:
                     (A)  participation rates of eligible students in
  the pilot program;
                     (B)  outreach efforts regarding the pilot
  program; and
                     (C)  the percentage of eligible students
  receiving financial assistance under the pilot program who graduate
  from high school:
                           (i)  in the top 10 percent of the student's
  high school class; or
                           (ii)  with a workforce certificate or
  credential.
         (d)  A student is eligible to receive financial assistance
  under the pilot program if the student:
               (1)  is educationally disadvantaged;
               (2)  is enrolled in a participating public or private
  high school, including a home school, in the service area of a
  participating public junior college; and
               (3)  has completed less than 60 semester credit hours
  at an institution of higher education.
         (e)  Funds provided to an eligible student under the pilot
  program must be used for the cost of tuition or required fees for
  dual credit courses at the participating public junior college.
         (f)  A public or private high school, including a home
  school, that partners with a participating public junior college to
  provide dual credit courses and elects to participate in the pilot
  program must provide to students in grade nine or the equivalent
  information regarding dual credit opportunities and the funding
  available for dual credit courses under the pilot program.
         (g)  Not later than December 1, 2022, the board shall
  evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program and report the
  results of the evaluation to the legislature. In evaluating the
  pilot program, the board shall determine:
               (1)  any increase in:
                     (A)  the rate of participation of eligible
  students in dual credit courses;
                     (B)  the number of dual credit semester credit
  hours or the equivalent attempted by eligible students; and
                     (C)  the number of eligible students who graduate
  from high school:
                           (i)  in the top 10 percent of the student's
  high school class; or
                           (ii)  with a workforce certificate or
  credential; and
               (2)  whether the pilot program should be expanded to
  all public junior colleges in the small and medium peer groups, as
  identified by the board.
         (h)  This section expires September 1, 2023.
         SECTION 2.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  shall establish the pilot program under Section 61.0765, Education
  Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable following the
  effective date of this Act.
         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.