Amend CSHB 4 (house committee report) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Subchapter C, Chapter 39, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 39.0531 to read as follows:
Sec. 39.0531. INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION LIST. (a) The agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Texas Workforce Commission shall jointly develop and make available a list of industry certifications that are eligible for purposes of Section 39.053(c)(1)(B)(v). In developing the list, the agencies shall:
(1) adhere to the requirements for inclusion in the credential library established under Section 2308A.007, Government Code; and
(2) consider the inventory of industry-recognized certifications developed under Section 312.003, Labor Code.
(b) The industry certifications included in the list under Subsection (a) must:
(1) be aligned to a program of study that, according to labor market data, prepares students for high-wage, high-skill, in-demand occupations;
(2) allow students to demonstrate mastery of the skills required for occupations within an approved program of study; and
(3) be obtained through an assessment of the knowledge and skills provided by or determined by an independent, third-party certifying entity using predetermined standards for knowledge, skills, and competencies.
(c) The agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Texas Workforce Commission shall regularly review and, if necessary, update the eligibility of industry certifications under Subsection (a), including whether the programs of study for those certifications still meet the requirements under that subsection:
(1) in consultation with the advisory council established under Chapter 312, Labor Code; and
(2) to the extent practicable, concurrently with the modification of performance standards under Section 39.053(f-1).
(d) If, after reviewing an industry certification under Subsection (c), the agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Texas Workforce Commission jointly determine the certification is no longer eligible for purposes of Section 39.053(c)(1)(B)(v) and should be removed from the list maintained under Subsection (a), the agencies shall, to the extent practicable, post on the agencies' respective Internet websites information regarding the removal of the certification not later than two years before the date the agencies intend to remove the certification from the list.
(e) During the three years following a determination under Subsection (d) that an industry certification is no longer eligible for purposes of Section 39.053(c)(1)(B)(v), a school district may receive the benefit of achievement indicators based on that industry certification for purposes of Section 39.053(c) only for a cohort of students who:
(1) were participating in the program of study aligned with that certification during the school year the agency determines the certification is no longer eligible; and
(2) earn the certification within the three-year period.
SECTION ____. Section 2308A.007, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 2308A.007. CREDENTIAL LIBRARY. (a) The coordinating board and the commission jointly shall [may] establish a publicly accessible web-based library of credentials, such as diplomas, certificates, certifications, digital badges, apprenticeships, licenses, or degrees, that are:
(1) delivered, issued, funded, or governed by the state;
(2) aligned with recognized skills and industry standards;
(3) available to residents of the state; and
(4) used by employers in the state.
(a-1) The [A] credential library established under this section must:
(1) include:
(A) the information included in the electronic tools or platforms developed by the coordinating board under Section 61.09022(a), Education Code; and
(B) the list of industry certifications developed under Section 39.0531, Education Code; and
(2) ensure data interoperability between relevant state agencies.
(b) The coordinating board and the commission jointly shall [may] designate a host agency to contract with an experienced and recognized third-party vendor [or operating entity] for the [a] credential library established under this section.
(c) In establishing the [a] credential library under this section, the coordinating board and the commission shall solicit input from the agency and relevant stakeholders.