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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Opportunity High School |
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Diploma program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 130, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter O to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER O. OPPORTUNITY HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA PROGRAM |
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Sec. 130.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(3) "Program," unless the context indicates |
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otherwise, means the Opportunity High School Diploma program |
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established under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 130.452. PURPOSE. The purpose of the program is to |
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provide an alternative means by which adult students enrolled in a |
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workforce education program at a public junior college may earn a |
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high school diploma at the college through concurrent enrollment in |
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a competency-based education program that enables students to |
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demonstrate knowledge substantially equivalent to the knowledge |
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required to earn a high school diploma in this state. |
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Sec. 130.453. ADMINISTRATION. The coordinating board shall |
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administer the program in consultation with the Texas Education |
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Agency and the Texas Workforce Commission. |
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Sec. 130.454. APPROVAL OF ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA |
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PROGRAM. (a) A public junior college may submit to the |
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coordinating board an application to participate in the program. |
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The application must propose an alternative competency-based high |
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school diploma program to be offered for concurrent enrollment to |
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adult students without a high school diploma who are enrolled in a |
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workforce education program at the college. The proposed program |
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may include any combination of instruction, curriculum, |
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achievement, internships, or other means by which a student may |
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attain knowledge sufficient to adequately prepare the student for |
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postsecondary education or additional workforce education. |
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(b) A public junior college may submit an application under |
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Subsection (a) together with one or more public junior colleges, |
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general academic teaching institutions, public school districts, |
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or nonprofit organizations with whom the proposed program described |
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by that subsection will be offered as provided by Subsection (e). |
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(c) The coordinating board may approve not more than five |
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public junior colleges to participate in the program. |
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(d) Subject to Subsection (c), the coordinating board shall |
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review and approve a public junior college's application to |
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participate in the program if the board determines that the |
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college's proposed program described by Subsection (a) will provide |
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instruction and assessments appropriate to ensure that a student |
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who successfully completes the proposed program demonstrates |
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levels of knowledge sufficient to adequately prepare the student |
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for postsecondary education or additional workforce education. The |
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coordinating board may coordinate with the Texas Education Agency |
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as necessary to make a determination under this subsection. |
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(e) A public junior college approved to participate in the |
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program may: |
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(1) enter into an agreement with one or more public |
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junior colleges, general academic teaching institutions, public |
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school districts, or nonprofit organizations to offer the program |
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described by Subsection (a); and |
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(2) offer the program described by Subsection (a) at |
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any campus of the college or an entity with which the college has |
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entered into an agreement under Subdivision (1). |
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Sec. 130.455. AWARD OF HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. (a) A public |
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junior college participating in the program may award a high school |
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diploma to a student enrolled in the alternative competency-based |
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high school diploma program offered by the college under the |
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program if the student performs satisfactorily on assessment |
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instruments prescribed by coordinating board rule. |
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(b) A high school diploma awarded under the program is |
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equivalent to a high school diploma awarded under Section 28.025. |
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Sec. 130.456. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board and the |
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Texas Workforce Commission shall coordinate to jointly identify |
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funding mechanisms, including grants, interagency contracts, |
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financial aid, or subsidies, available to public junior colleges |
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and students to encourage and facilitate participation in the |
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program. |
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(b) A public junior college participating in the program is |
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entitled to receive funding under Section 130.003 for the program |
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in the manner provided by coordinating board rule. |
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Sec. 130.457. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2026, the |
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coordinating board shall submit to the legislature a progress |
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report on the effectiveness of the program and any recommendations |
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for legislative or other action. This section expires September 1, |
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2027. |
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Sec. 130.458. RULES. The coordinating board may adopt |
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rules as necessary to implement this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. 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. |