By: Paxton, West S.B. No. 346
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the participation of open-enrollment charter schools
  and eligible nonprofit organizations in the Jobs and Education for
  Texans (JET) Grant Program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 134.004, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 134.004.  JOBS AND EDUCATION FOR TEXANS (JET) GRANT
  PROGRAM.  (a)  The commission shall establish and administer the
  Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program to provide grants
  to public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public
  state colleges, eligible nonprofit organizations, and independent
  school districts and open-enrollment charter schools described
  under Section 134.007 that apply to the advisory board in the manner
  prescribed by the advisory board.  The commission shall award the
  grants on the advice and recommendations of the advisory board.
         (b)  Grants may be awarded under this chapter from the Jobs
  and Education for Texans (JET) fund to defray the start-up costs
  associated with the development of new career and technical
  education programs at public junior colleges, public technical
  institutes, public state colleges, and independent school
  districts and open-enrollment charter schools described under
  Section 134.007 that meet the requirements of Section 134.006.
         SECTION 2.  Section 134.001, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows:
               (1-a)  "Nonprofit organization" means an organization
  exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal
  Revenue Code of 1986, as an organization described by Section
  501(c)(3) of that code.
         SECTION 3.  Chapter 134, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Section 134.005 to read as follows:
         Sec. 134.005.  GRANTS TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS FOR
  INNOVATIVE AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS.  (a)  The commission may award
  a grant to a nonprofit organization eligible under Subsection (b)
  for the development, support, or expansion of programs to prepare
  low-income students for careers in high-demand occupations.
         (b)  To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
  nonprofit organization must:
               (1)  provide a program to offer assistance to
  low-income students in preparing for, applying to and enrolling in
  a public junior college or public technical institute;
               (2)  be governed by a board or other governing
  structure that includes recognized leaders of broad-based
  community organizations and members of the local business
  community;
               (3)  demonstrate to the satisfaction of the advisory
  board that the organization's program has achieved or will achieve
  the following measures of success among program participants to the
  extent applicable to the type of program the organization provides:
                     (A)  above-average completion of developmental
  education among participating public junior college or public
  technical institute students;
                     (B)  above-average persistence rates among
  participating public junior college or public technical institute
  students;
                     (C)  above-average certificate or degree
  completion rates by participating students within a three-year
  period compared to demographically comparable public junior
  college and public technical institute students; and
                     (D)  employment of participating students at an
  average full-time starting wage that is equal to or greater than the
  prevailing wage for the occupation entered; and
               (4)  provide matching funds in accordance with rules
  adopted under Section 134.008.
         (c)  The matching funds required under Subsection (b)(4) may
  be obtained from any source available to the nonprofit
  organization, including in-kind contributions, community or
  foundation grants, individual contributions, and local
  governmental agency operating funds.
         (d)  Grants awarded under this section must be awarded in a
  manner that takes a balanced geographical distribution into
  consideration.
         SECTION 4.  Sections 134.006(a) and (d), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The commission may award a grant for the development of
  new career and technical education courses or programs at public
  junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state
  colleges, [and] independent school districts, and open-enrollment
  charter schools.
         (d)  To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a
  public junior college, public technical institute, public state
  college, or independent school district or open-enrollment charter
  school described under Section 134.007 must provide matching funds
  in accordance with rules adopted under Section 134.008.  The
  matching funds may be obtained from any source available to the
  public junior college, public technical institute, public state
  college, [or] independent school district, or open-enrollment
  charter school, including industry consortia, community or
  foundation grants, individual contributions, and local
  governmental agency operating funds.
         SECTION 5.  Section 134.007, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 134.007.  GRANTS AWARDED TO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
  OR OPEN-ENROLLMENT CHARTER SCHOOL.  The commission may award a
  grant to an independent school district or open-enrollment charter
  school under this chapter if the district or school has entered into
  a partnership with a public junior college, public technical
  institute, or public state college for the purpose of:
               (1)  promoting career and technical education to the
  district's or school's students; or
               (2)  offering dual credit courses to the district's or
  school's students.
         SECTION 6.  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.