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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an agreement between a school district and public |
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institution of higher education to provide a dual credit program to |
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high school students enrolled in the district. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.009(b-2), Education Code, as amended |
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by Chapters 264 (S.B. 1276) and 901 (H.B. 3650), Acts of the 86th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, is reenacted and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b-2) Any agreement, including a memorandum of |
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understanding or articulation agreement, between a school district |
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and public institution of higher education to provide a dual credit |
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program described by Subsection (b-1) must: |
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(1) include specific program goals aligned with the |
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statewide goals developed under Subsection (b-1); |
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(2) establish common advising strategies and |
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terminology related to dual credit and college readiness; |
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(3) provide for the alignment of endorsements |
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described by Section 28.025(c-1) offered by the district, and dual |
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credit courses offered under the agreement that apply towards those |
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endorsements, with postsecondary pathways and credentials at the |
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institution and industry certifications; |
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(4) identify tools, including tools developed by the |
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agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, or the Texas |
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Workforce Commission, to assist school counselors, students, and |
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families in selecting endorsements offered by the district and dual |
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credit courses offered under the agreement; |
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(5) establish, or provide a procedure for |
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establishing, the course credits that may be earned under the |
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agreement, including by developing a course equivalency crosswalk |
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or other method for equating high school courses with college |
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courses and identifying the number of credits that may be earned for |
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each course completed through the program; |
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(6) describe the academic supports and, if applicable, |
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guidance that will be provided to students participating in the |
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program; |
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(7) establish the district's and the institution's |
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respective roles and responsibilities in providing the program and |
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ensuring the quality and instructional rigor of the program; |
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(8) state the sources of funding for courses offered |
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under the program, including, at a minimum, the sources of funding |
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for tuition, transportation, and any required fees or textbooks for |
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students participating in the program; |
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(9) require the district and the institution to |
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consider the use of free or low-cost open educational resources in |
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courses offered under the program; [and] |
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(10) [(7)] be posted each year on the district's and |
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the institution's respective Internet websites; and |
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(11) designate at least one employee of the district |
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or institution as responsible for providing academic advising to a |
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student who enrolls in a dual credit course under the program before |
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the student begins the course. |
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SECTION 2. Section 28.009(b-2), Education Code, as |
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reenacted and amended by this Act, applies only to an agreement to |
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provide a dual credit program entered into or renewed on or after |
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September 1, 2021. An agreement to provide a dual credit program |
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entered into or renewed before September 1, 2021, is governed by the |
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law as it existed at the time the agreement was entered into or |
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renewed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails |
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over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021, |
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relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted |
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codes. |
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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, 2021. |
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