87R10393 ANG-F
 
  By: Perry S.B. No. 1527
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to measures to assist small and rural school districts in
  implementing a collegiate model and expanding broadband access,
  including the establishment of the Rural Schools and Communities
  Technical Assistance Center and a grant program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 30, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter F to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER F. RURAL SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
  CENTER
         Sec. 30.401.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "center"
  means the Rural Schools and Communities Technical Assistance
  Center.
         Sec. 30.402.  ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. The Rural Schools and
  Communities Technical Assistance Center is established to assist
  small and rural school districts with the implementation and
  expansion of the Collegiate Edu-Nation P-20 System Model for 21st
  Century School Transformation in cooperation with the agency and to
  further ensure better economic and life opportunities by
  facilitating the expansion of broadband development in rural
  communities.
         Sec. 30.403.  DUTIES OF CENTER. (a) The center shall
  facilitate the tri-agency alignment for rural students by
  collaborating with the agency, the Texas Higher Education
  Coordinating Board, and the Texas Workforce Commission.
         (b)  The center shall assist participating school districts
  in implementing the Collegiate Edu-Nation P-20 System Model for
  21st-Century School Transformation to:
               (1)  combat generational poverty by fostering high
  aspirations and expectations among students, families, and
  communities for college and career success, with an emphasis on
  workforce shortage areas;
               (2)  support attainment of the state's master plan for
  higher education developed under Section 61.051; and
               (3)  support implementation of the Pathways in
  Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) programs in
  participating school districts under Subchapter N, Chapter 29.
         Sec. 30.404.  SELECTION OF CENTER. The commissioner shall
  select a nonprofit organization to serve as the center and support
  school districts awarded a planning or implementation grant under
  this subchapter. The selected nonprofit organization must have:
               (1)  an individual on staff who has previously
  implemented a collegiate model in a rural school district; and
               (2)  a demonstrated history of:
                     (A)  successfully managing rural schools; and
                     (B)  supporting multiple rural school districts
  in implementing a collegiate model.
         Sec. 30.405.  PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS. (a) The
  commissioner shall annually award planning grants to rural or small
  school districts, as determined by commissioner rule, to plan for
  the implementation of a collegiate model.
         (b)  The agency shall evaluate each district that receives a
  planning grant under Subsection (a). If the agency determines that
  the district successfully completed planning activities, the
  commissioner shall award the district a one-year grant to implement
  a collegiate model.
         (c)  The agency shall evaluate each district that receives an
  implementation grant under Subsection (b). If the agency
  determines that the district successfully completed implementation
  activities in the first year of implementation, the commissioner
  shall award the district an additional one-year implementation
  grant.
         Sec. 30.406.  EXPECTED OUTCOMES. (a) By the conclusion of
  the second year of implementation of a collegiate model using a
  grant awarded under Section 30.405(c), the school district must:
               (1)  have implemented:
                     (A)  a dual credit program or a joint high school
  and college credit program;
                     (B)  a Pathways in Technology Early College High
  School (P-TECH) program under Subchapter N, Chapter 29;
                     (C)  a research-based college readiness program
  for grades 7 through 12;
                     (D)  student college and career coaching;
                     (E)  a common instructional framework and monthly
  instructional review and improvement cycles;
                     (F)  project-based learning experiences in a
  majority of courses offered by the district;
                     (G)  career and technical education programs;
                     (H)  work-based learning opportunities, including
  paid student apprenticeships in science, technology, engineering,
  or mathematics workforce shortage areas;
                     (I)  formal industry partnerships specific to
  local workforce needs as identified by regional offices of the
  Texas Workforce Commission;
                     (J)  research-based, nationally norm-referenced
  formative assessments; or
                     (K)  access to a personal laptop or other
  electronic device for each student; and
               (2)  demonstrate progress toward the goal of 90 percent
  of graduating students concurrently earning a high school diploma,
  associate degree, or industry-recognized certification by ensuring
  that at least 30 percent of high school students enrolled in the
  district are enrolled in college courses.
         (b)  If a school district that received a grant under Section
  30.405(c) does not achieve the expected outcomes under Subsection
  (a), the center shall work with the district to develop and
  implement an intervention plan to support the district in achieving
  those outcomes.
         Sec. 30.407.  SUPPORT OF RURAL BROADBAND INITIATIVES. Each
  school district that receives a grant under Section 30.405 shall
  work closely with relevant state agencies to assist in expanding
  access, adoption, and use of broadband in rural areas to benefit
  educational opportunities and economic development.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.