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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a rural dual credit pilot program by the |
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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0765 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0765. RURAL DUAL CREDIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The |
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board shall establish a pilot program under which the board awards |
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grants to participating public junior colleges to provide financial |
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assistance to educationally disadvantaged high school students for |
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all or part of the cost of enrolling in dual credit courses at the |
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college. |
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(b) The board shall select not more than 10 public junior |
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colleges in the small or medium public junior college peer group, as |
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identified by the board, to participate in the pilot program. In |
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selecting public junior colleges, the board shall, to the extent |
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practicable, ensure that at least one public junior college from |
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each region of the state is included. |
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(c) A participating public junior college must: |
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(1) use grant funds awarded under this section to |
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provide financial assistance to eligible students for all or part |
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of the cost of tuition and required fees for dual credit courses at |
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the college; |
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(2) work with high schools that partner with the |
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college to provide dual credit courses and elect to participate in |
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the pilot program to: |
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(A) inform eligible students regarding the pilot |
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program and how those courses relate to postsecondary education and |
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career paths; and |
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(B) assist eligible students in applying to |
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enroll in those courses; and |
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(3) collect and report to the board data on: |
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(A) participation rates of eligible students in |
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the pilot program; |
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(B) outreach efforts regarding the pilot |
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program; and |
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(C) the percentage of eligible students |
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receiving financial assistance under the pilot program who graduate |
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from high school: |
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(i) in the top 10 percent of the student's |
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high school class; or |
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(ii) with a workforce certificate or |
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credential. |
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(d) A student is eligible to receive financial assistance |
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under the pilot program if the student: |
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(1) is educationally disadvantaged, as defined by |
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Section 5.001; |
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(2) is enrolled in a participating public or private |
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high school, including a home school, in the service area of a |
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participating public junior college; and |
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(3) has completed less than 60 semester credit hours |
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at an institution of higher education. |
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(e) Funds provided to an eligible student under the pilot |
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program must be used for the cost of tuition or required fees for |
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dual credit courses at the participating public junior college. |
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(f) A public or private high school, including a home |
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school, that partners with a participating public junior college to |
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provide dual credit courses and elects to participate in the pilot |
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program must provide to students in grade nine or the equivalent |
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information regarding dual credit opportunities and the funding |
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available for dual credit courses under the pilot program. |
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(g) Not later than December 1, 2024, the board shall |
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evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot program and report the |
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results of the evaluation to the legislature. In evaluating the |
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pilot program, the board shall determine: |
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(1) any increase in: |
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(A) the rate of participation of eligible |
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students in dual credit courses; |
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(B) the number of dual credit semester credit |
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hours or the equivalent attempted by eligible students; and |
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(C) the number of eligible students who graduate |
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from high school: |
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(i) in the top 10 percent of the student's |
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high school class; or |
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(ii) with a workforce certificate or |
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credential; and |
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(2) whether the pilot program should be expanded to |
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all public junior colleges in the small and medium peer groups, as |
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identified by the board. |
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(h) This section expires September 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall establish the pilot program under Section 61.0765, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable following the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2023. |