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AN ACT
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relating to college, career, and military readiness in public |
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schools, including career and technology education programs, the |
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Financial Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program, and the Rural |
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Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program, funding for those |
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programs under the Foundation School Program, and workforce |
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reporting to support those programs, to the public school |
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accountability system, and to the new instructional facility |
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allotment and the permissible uses of funding under the Foundation |
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School Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 4.002, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 4.002. PUBLIC EDUCATION ACADEMIC GOALS. To serve as a |
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foundation for a well-balanced and appropriate education: |
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GOAL 1: The students in the public education system |
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will demonstrate exemplary performance in the reading and writing |
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of the English language. |
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GOAL 2: The students in the public education system |
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will demonstrate exemplary performance in the understanding of |
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mathematics. |
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GOAL 3: The students in the public education system |
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will demonstrate exemplary performance in the understanding of |
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science. |
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GOAL 4: The students in the public education system |
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will demonstrate exemplary performance in the understanding of |
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social studies. |
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GOAL 5: The students who graduate high school in the |
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public education system will have the skills and credentials |
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necessary to immediately enter this state's workforce. |
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GOAL 6: The students who graduate high school in the |
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public education system and who elect to pursue postsecondary |
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education will be ready for postsecondary coursework without the |
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need for remediation. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 7, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 7.0405 and 7.043 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 7.0405. POSTING OF POSTSECONDARY OUTCOMES. (a) |
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Subject to Subsection (b), the agency shall post on the agency's |
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Internet website the following de-identified data, disaggregated |
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by school district or open-enrollment charter school, high school |
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campus, and annual cohort for the 10 most recent annual cohorts: |
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(1) for students who graduate from high school: |
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(A) the number and percentage of students who |
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enroll in, enroll in remedial postsecondary coursework as part of, |
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persist for at least one year in, or complete a postsecondary |
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degree, certificate, or other credentialing program, disaggregated |
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by program and postsecondary educational institution; and |
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(B) employment status, occupation, industry, |
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wage, and county of employment and residence, as reported under |
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Section 204.0025, Labor Code; and |
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(2) for students who did not graduate from high |
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school: |
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(A) the highest grade level completed; |
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(B) for each cohort for which data is available, |
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employment status, occupation, industry, wage, and county of |
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employment and residence, as reported under Section 204.0025, Labor |
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Code; and |
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(C) whether the student has earned a high school |
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equivalency certificate. |
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(a-1) The agency is required to provide data regarding |
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students who graduate from high school and enroll in remedial |
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postsecondary coursework as part of a postsecondary degree, |
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certificate, or other credentialing program under Subsection |
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(a)(1)(A) only to the extent that data is available. |
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(b) The agency shall post the data required under Subsection |
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(a) in a manner that complies with the Family Educational Rights and |
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Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g) and may, if necessary |
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to comply with that act, create a private portal for school district |
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board of trustees or open-enrollment charter school governing body |
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members, school administrators, and school counselors at a high |
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school to access data for the member's, administrator's, or |
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counselor's school district or open-enrollment charter school. |
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(c) The agency shall ensure the data posted under Subsection |
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(a) is made available to: |
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(1) school district board of trustees and |
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open-enrollment charter school governing body members and |
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superintendents to assist in adopting college, career, and military |
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readiness plans under Section 11.186; and |
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(2) school counselors at a high school to assist the |
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counselors in performing the duties under Section 33.007. |
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Sec. 7.043. STATEWIDE GOAL FOR CAREER READINESS. (a) Using |
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the data posted under Section 7.0405(a), the agency shall create a |
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quantifiable statewide goal for public school students to achieve |
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career readiness, including by attaining a workforce-aligned |
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credential while in high school. |
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(b) The agency shall update the goal created under |
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Subsection (a) at least once every five years. |
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SECTION 3. Section 11.186, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsections (d), (e), |
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and (f) to read as follows: |
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(b) Each plan adopted under Subsection (a) must: |
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(1) identify annual goals for students in each group |
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evaluated under the closing the gaps domain under Section |
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39.053(c)(3); |
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(2) include an annual goal [goals] for aggregate |
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student growth on each college, career, and military readiness |
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indicator [indicators] evaluated under the student achievement |
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domain under Section 39.053(c)(1); |
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(3) include specific annual goals for student |
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completion while enrolled in high school of postsecondary |
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credentials, including industry-based credentials, level one or |
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level two certificates, and associate degrees, prioritizing |
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credentials identified in the long-range master plan for higher |
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education established under Section 61.051 and the performance tier |
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funding for public junior colleges for credentials of value under |
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Section 130A.101; |
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(4) include annual goals for the outcomes of the |
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district's annual graduates at one, three, and five years after |
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graduation from high school, including goals for: |
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(A) the rate of enrollment at a postsecondary |
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educational institution; |
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(B) the percentage of graduates who enroll at a |
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postsecondary educational institution and do not require remedial |
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postsecondary coursework; |
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(C) the rate of persistence at a postsecondary |
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educational institution in each of the first two years of |
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enrollment; |
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(D) the rate of completion of a postsecondary |
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degree, certificate, or other credentialing program; and |
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(E) wages earned; |
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(5) assign at least one district-level administrator |
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or employee of the regional education service center for the |
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district's region to: |
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(A) coordinate implementation of the plan; and |
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(B) submit an annual report to the board of |
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trustees, the agency, and the Legislative Budget Board on the |
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district's performance and progress toward the goals set under the |
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plan; and |
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(6) [(4)] be reviewed and approved by majority vote |
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annually by the board of trustees at a public meeting. |
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(c) In identifying and including goals in each plan adopted |
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under Subsection (a) as provided by Subsection (b), the board of |
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trustees shall use longitudinal student outcomes data posted under |
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Section 7.0405(a) and any other resources available to the board. |
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(d) A school district shall post the annual report described |
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by Subsection (b)(5)(B) [(b)(3)(B)] on the district's Internet |
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website and on the Internet website, if any, of each campus in the |
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district not later than two weeks before the date of the public |
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meeting at which the report is reviewed and approved as required by |
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Subsection (b)(6). The district shall update the annual report on |
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each Internet website if any modifications are made to the report by |
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the board of trustees. |
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(e) The commissioner by rule shall establish a deadline for |
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the submission of the annual reports described by Subsection |
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(b)(5)(B). The agency shall compile and make publicly accessible on |
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the agency's Internet website the annual reports. |
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(f) The agency may evaluate the goals identified or included |
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in an annual report described by Subsection (b)(5)(B) to determine |
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whether those goals align with state secondary, postsecondary, and |
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workforce goals. |
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SECTION 4. Section 28.0095, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (c)(1)(A), a student |
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otherwise described by Subsection (c) is eligible to enroll at no |
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cost in a dual credit course under the program if the student has |
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graduated from high school but is: |
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(1) enrolled in a school district or open-enrollment |
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charter school at a campus designated as a P-TECH school under |
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Section 29.556 or in a school district participating in a |
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partnership under Section 29.912; and |
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(2) completing a course of study offered through an |
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articulation agreement or memorandum of understanding with an |
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institution of higher education and the district or school |
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described by Subdivision (1), as applicable, under the Pathways in |
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Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program under |
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Subchapter N, Chapter 29, or the Rural Pathway Excellence |
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Partnership (R-PEP) program under Section 29.912. |
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SECTION 5. Section 29.182(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The state plan must include procedures designed to |
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ensure that: |
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(1) all secondary and postsecondary students have the |
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opportunity to participate in career and technology education |
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programs; |
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(2) the state complies with requirements for |
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supplemental federal career and technology education funding; |
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(3) career and technology education is established as |
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a part of the total education system of this state and constitutes |
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an option for student learning that provides a rigorous course of |
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study consistent with the required curriculum under Section 28.002 |
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and under which a student may receive specific education in a career |
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and technology program that: |
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(A) incorporates competencies leading to |
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academic and technical skill attainment; |
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(B) leads to: |
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(i) an industry-recognized license, |
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credential, or certificate; or |
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(ii) at the postsecondary level, an |
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associate or baccalaureate degree; |
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(C) includes opportunities for students to earn |
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college credit for coursework; and |
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(D) includes, as an integral part of the program, |
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participation by students and teachers in activities of career and |
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technical student organizations supported by the agency and the |
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State Board of Education; [and] |
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(4) a school district provides, to the greatest extent |
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possible, to a student participating in a career and technology |
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education program opportunities to enroll in dual credit courses |
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designed to lead to a degree, license, or certification as part of |
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the program; and |
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(5) a course of study offered under a Junior Reserve |
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Officers' Training Corps program established under 10 U.S.C. |
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Section 2031 is considered a career and technology education |
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program. |
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SECTION 6. Sections 29.190(a-1), (b), and (c), Education |
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a-1) A student may not receive more than two subsidies [one |
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subsidy] under this section. |
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(b) A teacher is entitled to a subsidy under this section if |
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the teacher passes a certification examination related to career |
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and technology education [cybersecurity]. |
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(c) On approval by the commissioner, the agency shall pay |
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each school district an amount equal to the cost paid by the |
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district for a certification examination under this section, |
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including any costs paid for associated fingerprinting or criminal |
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history record information review. To obtain reimbursement for a |
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subsidy paid under this section, a district must: |
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(1) pay the costs described by this subsection [fee |
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for the examination]; and |
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(2) submit to the commissioner a written application |
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on a form prescribed by the commissioner stating the amount of the |
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costs [fee] paid under Subdivision (1) [for the certification |
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examination]. |
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SECTION 7. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.9017 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.9017. NOTICE REGARDING MILITARY-RELATED TRAINING |
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PROGRAMS. (a) As part of the high school registration process and |
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annually, a school district or open-enrollment charter school shall |
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notify the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in a Junior |
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Reserve Officers' Training Corps program established under 10 |
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U.S.C. Section 2031 regarding any early registration or scholarship |
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program available to students in military-related training |
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programs. |
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(b) The notice required under Subsection (a) must provide |
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the student's parent or guardian with the option to share the |
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student's data with one or more public institutions of higher |
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education for the purpose of learning about any opportunity to |
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participate in an early registration or scholarship program |
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described by Subsection (a), including: |
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(1) the student's directory contact information; |
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(2) the student's education records; or |
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(3) any other information prescribed by the agency, in |
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coordination with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, |
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that would allow the student to learn about an opportunity to |
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participate in military-related training programs at public |
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institutions of higher education, including financial aid or |
|
scholarship programs. |
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SECTION 8. Section 29.912, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsection (j) to read as |
|
follows: |
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(c-1) A school district that has participated in the program |
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may continue to participate in the program regardless of the number |
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of students in average daily attendance in the district for the |
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current school year. |
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(j) The commissioner shall make grants available for use by |
|
a coordinating entity for a two-year period to assist with costs |
|
associated with the planning, development, establishment, or |
|
expansion, as applicable, of partnerships under the program using |
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[a portion of state funds allocated under Section 48.118 as well as] |
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money appropriated for that purpose, federal funds, and any other |
|
funds available. The commissioner may award a grant only to a |
|
coordinating entity that has entered into a performance agreement |
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approved under Subsection (i) or, if in the planning stage, has |
|
entered into a memorandum of understanding to enter into a |
|
performance agreement, unless the source of funds does not permit a |
|
grant to the coordinating entity, in which case the grant shall be |
|
made to a participating school district acting as fiscal agent. |
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Eligible use of grant funds shall include planning, development, |
|
establishment, or expansion of partnerships under the program. The |
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commissioner may use not more than 15 percent of the money allocated |
|
for the grants to cover the cost of administering grants awarded |
|
under the program and to provide technical assistance and support |
|
to partnerships under the program. The total amount of grants |
|
awarded under this subsection for a school year may not exceed $5 |
|
million. |
|
SECTION 9. Section 33.007, Education Code, is amended by |
|
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) to read as |
|
follows: |
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(b) During the first school year a student is enrolled in a |
|
high school or at the high school level in an open-enrollment |
|
charter school, and again during each year of a student's |
|
enrollment in high school or at the high school level, a school |
|
counselor shall provide information about postsecondary education |
|
to the student and the student's parent or guardian. The |
|
information must include information regarding: |
|
(1) the importance of postsecondary education, |
|
including: |
|
(A) career readiness and workforce training |
|
opportunities; and |
|
(B) a link to the My Texas Future Internet |
|
website and information regarding how to create a profile on that |
|
website; |
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(2) the advantages of earning an endorsement and a |
|
performance acknowledgment and completing the distinguished level |
|
of achievement under the foundation high school program under |
|
Section 28.025; |
|
(3) the disadvantages of taking courses to prepare for |
|
a high school equivalency examination relative to the benefits of |
|
taking courses leading to a high school diploma; |
|
(4) financial aid eligibility; |
|
(5) instruction on how to apply for federal financial |
|
aid; |
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(6) the center for financial aid information |
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established under Section 61.0776; |
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(7) the automatic admission of certain students to |
|
general academic teaching institutions as provided by Section |
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51.803; |
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(8) the eligibility and academic performance |
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requirements for the TEXAS Grant as provided by Subchapter M, |
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Chapter 56; |
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(9) the availability of programs in the district under |
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which a student may earn college credit, including advanced |
|
placement programs, dual credit programs, joint high school and |
|
college credit programs, and international baccalaureate programs; |
|
(10) the availability of education and training |
|
vouchers and tuition and fee waivers to attend an institution of |
|
higher education as provided by Section 54.366 for a student who is |
|
or was previously in the conservatorship of the Department of |
|
Family and Protective Services; [and] |
|
(11) the availability of college credit awarded by |
|
institutions of higher education to veterans and military |
|
servicemembers for military experience, education, and training |
|
obtained during military service as described by the informational |
|
materials developed under Section 302.0031(h), Labor Code; |
|
(12) opportunities to complete career training and |
|
obtain a postsecondary credential while enrolled in high school, |
|
whether at the student's campus, another campus in the school |
|
district or open-enrollment charter school, or an educational |
|
institution that partners with the district or school, including: |
|
(A) information regarding program costs, program |
|
completion rates, and the average wages of students who complete |
|
the program; and |
|
(B) the availability of information regarding |
|
those opportunities on the My Texas Future Internet website; and |
|
(13) the outcomes of graduates from the campus and |
|
school district or open-enrollment charter school in which the |
|
student is enrolled, including completion rates and average wages |
|
based on postsecondary pathways available to those graduates at the |
|
campus, district, or school using data posted under Section |
|
7.0405(a) or available on the My Texas Future Internet website. |
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(d) The agency shall make available to school counselors an |
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annual online training regarding statewide trends identified in the |
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data posted under Section 7.0405(a) or available on the My Texas |
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Future Internet website. The training must include information to |
|
assist school counselors in identifying the postsecondary outcomes |
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for students at the counselor's campus and school district or |
|
open-enrollment charter school for purposes of performing the |
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counselor's duties under this section. The agency may make the |
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training or other resources provided by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board available through the Texas OnCourse Internet |
|
website. |
|
SECTION 10. The heading to Section 39.0261, Education Code, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 39.0261. COLLEGE PREPARATION AND CAREER READINESS |
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ASSESSMENTS. |
|
SECTION 11. Section 39.0261(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) In addition to the assessment instruments otherwise |
|
authorized or required by this subchapter: |
|
(1) each school year and at state cost, a school |
|
district may administer to students in the spring of the eighth |
|
grade an established, valid, reliable, and nationally |
|
norm-referenced preliminary college preparation assessment |
|
instrument for the purpose of diagnosing the academic strengths and |
|
deficiencies of students before entrance into high school; |
|
(2) each school year and at state cost, a school |
|
district may administer to students in the 10th grade an |
|
established, valid, reliable, and nationally norm-referenced |
|
preliminary college preparation assessment instrument for the |
|
purpose of measuring a student's progress toward readiness for |
|
college and the workplace; and |
|
(3) high school students in the spring of the 11th |
|
grade or during the 12th grade may select and take once, at state |
|
cost: |
|
(A) one of the valid, reliable, and nationally |
|
norm-referenced assessment instruments used by colleges and |
|
universities as part of their undergraduate admissions processes; |
|
[or] |
|
(B) the assessment instrument designated by the |
|
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334; or |
|
(C) a nationally recognized career readiness |
|
assessment instrument that measures foundational workforce skills |
|
approved by commissioner rule. |
|
SECTION 12. Section 45.105(c), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(c) Local school funds from district taxes, tuition fees of |
|
students not entitled to a free education, other local sources, and |
|
state funds not designated for a specific purpose may be used for |
|
the purposes listed for state and county available funds and for |
|
purchasing appliances and supplies, paying insurance premiums, |
|
paying janitors and other employees, buying school sites, buying, |
|
building, repairing, and renting school buildings, including |
|
acquiring school buildings and sites by leasing through annual |
|
payments with an ultimate option to purchase, providing advising |
|
support as described by Section 48.0035(1), and educating students |
|
as described by Section 48.0035(2), and, except as provided by |
|
Subsection (c-1), for other purposes necessary in the conduct of |
|
the public schools determined by the board of trustees. The |
|
accounts and vouchers for county districts must be approved by the |
|
county superintendent. If the state available school fund in any |
|
municipality or district is sufficient to maintain the schools in |
|
any year for at least eight months and leave a surplus, the surplus |
|
may be spent for the purposes listed in this subsection. |
|
SECTION 13. Section 48.003(a), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a) A student is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation |
|
School Program if, on September 1 of the school year, the student: |
|
(1) is 5 years of age or older and under 21 years of age |
|
and: |
|
(A) has not graduated from high school; or |
|
(B) has graduated from high school but is: |
|
(i) enrolled in a school district at a |
|
campus designated as a P-TECH school under Section 29.556 or in a |
|
school district participating in a partnership under Section |
|
29.912; and |
|
(ii) completing a course of study offered |
|
through an articulation agreement or memorandum of understanding |
|
with an institution of higher education, as defined by Section |
|
61.003, and the district described by Subparagraph (i), as |
|
applicable, under the Pathways in Technology Early College High |
|
School (P-TECH) program under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, and the |
|
Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program under Section |
|
29.912, regardless of whether the student is enrolled in the |
|
district providing the course of study; |
|
(2) [, or] is at least 21 years of age and under 26 |
|
years of age and has been admitted by a school district to complete |
|
the requirements for a high school diploma; or |
|
(3) [(2)] is at least 18 years of age and under 50 |
|
years of age and is enrolled in an adult education program provided |
|
under the adult high school charter school program under Subchapter |
|
G, Chapter 12. |
|
SECTION 14. Subchapter A, Chapter 48, Education Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 48.0035 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.0035. USE OF FUNDING FOR CERTAIN PURPOSES. A school |
|
district may use funding to which the district is entitled under |
|
this chapter to: |
|
(1) provide district graduates, during the first two |
|
years after high school graduation, advising support toward the |
|
successful completion of a certificate or degree program at a |
|
public institution of higher education or a postsecondary |
|
vocational training program; and |
|
(2) educate a student who has graduated from high |
|
school but is enrolled in the district in a program through which |
|
the student may earn dual credit, including the Pathways in |
|
Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program under |
|
Subchapter N, Chapter 29, and the Rural Pathway Excellence |
|
Partnership (R-PEP) program under Section 29.912. |
|
SECTION 15. Section 48.106(a-1), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(a-1) In addition to the amounts under Subsection (a), [for |
|
each student in average daily attendance,] a district is entitled |
|
to $150 [$50] for each [of the following in which the] student in |
|
average daily attendance who [is enrolled]: |
|
(1) is enrolled in a campus designated as a P-TECH |
|
school under Section 29.556; or |
|
(2) completes a course of study offered under the |
|
Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program |
|
under Subchapter N, Chapter 29, or the Rural Pathway Excellence |
|
Partnership (R-PEP) program under Section 29.912, regardless of |
|
whether the student is enrolled in the district that provides the |
|
course of study [a campus that is a member of the New Tech Network |
|
and that focuses on project-based learning and work-based |
|
education]. |
|
SECTION 16. Sections 48.106(b)(1) and (1-a), Education |
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(1) "Approved career and technology education |
|
program": |
|
(A) means: |
|
(i) a sequence of career and technology |
|
education courses, including technology applications courses, |
|
authorized by the State Board of Education; and |
|
(ii) courses offered under a Junior Reserve |
|
Officers' Training Corps program established under 10 U.S.C. |
|
Section 2031; and |
|
(B) includes only courses that qualify for high |
|
school credit. |
|
(1-a) "Approved program of study" means a course |
|
sequence that: |
|
(A) provides students with the knowledge and |
|
skills necessary for success in the students' chosen careers, |
|
including the military; and |
|
(B) is approved by the agency for purposes of the |
|
Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century |
|
Act (Pub. L. No. 115-224). |
|
SECTION 17. Section 48.118, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsection (a-3) and amending Subsection (f) to read as |
|
follows: |
|
(a-3) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a school district |
|
described by Section 29.912(c-1) may receive funding under this |
|
section for up to 110 percent of the number of students who |
|
qualified under Subsection (a) for the school year immediately |
|
preceding the school year in which the district's enrollment first |
|
reached 1,600 or more. |
|
(f) The total amount of state funding for allotments and |
|
outcomes bonuses under this section may not exceed $20 [$5] million |
|
per year. If the total amount of allotments and outcomes bonuses to |
|
which school districts are entitled under this section exceeds the |
|
amount permitted under this subsection, the agency shall allocate |
|
state funding to districts under this section in the following |
|
order: |
|
(1) [allotments under Subsection (a) for which school |
|
districts participating in partnerships prioritized under Section |
|
29.912(h) are eligible; |
|
[(2)] allotments under Subsection (a) for which school |
|
districts that entered into a memorandum of understanding or letter |
|
of commitment regarding a multidistrict pathway partnership, as |
|
defined by commissioner rule, before May 1, 2023, are eligible; |
|
(2) [(3)] allotments under Subsection (a) for which |
|
school districts that have entered into a performance agreement |
|
under Section 29.912 with a coordinating entity that is an |
|
institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, are |
|
eligible; |
|
(3) [(4)] allotments under Subsection (a) for which |
|
school districts with the highest percentage of students who are |
|
educationally disadvantaged, in descending order, are eligible; |
|
and |
|
(4) [(5)] outcomes bonuses under Subsection (c) for |
|
which school districts with the highest percentage of students who |
|
are educationally disadvantaged, in descending order, are |
|
eligible. |
|
SECTION 18. Section 48.152(a)(2), Education Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(2) "New instructional facility" includes: |
|
(A) a newly constructed instructional facility; |
|
(B) a repurposed instructional facility; [and] |
|
(C) a leased facility operating for the first |
|
time as an instructional facility with a minimum lease term of not |
|
less than 10 years; and |
|
(D) a renovated portion of an instructional |
|
facility to be used for the first time to provide high-cost and |
|
undersubscribed career and technology education programs, as |
|
determined by the commissioner. |
|
SECTION 19. Section 48.152(f), Education Code, is amended |
|
to read as follows: |
|
(f) The amount appropriated for allotments under this |
|
section may not exceed $150 [$100] million in a school year. If the |
|
total amount of allotments to which districts are entitled under |
|
this section for a school year exceeds the amount appropriated |
|
under this subsection, the commissioner: |
|
(1) shall reduce each district's allotment under this |
|
section in the manner provided by Section 48.266(f); and |
|
(2) for new instructional facilities described by |
|
Subsection (a)(2)(D), may remove a career and technology education |
|
program from the list of programs that qualify under that |
|
subsection. |
|
SECTION 20. The heading to Section 48.155, Education Code, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.155. COLLEGE PREPARATION AND CAREER READINESS |
|
ASSESSMENT REIMBURSEMENT. |
|
SECTION 21. Section 48.156, Education Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 48.156. CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION REIMBURSEMENT. (a) |
|
A school district is entitled to reimbursement for the amount of a |
|
subsidy paid by the district for not more than two [a student's] |
|
certification examinations per student [examination] under Section |
|
29.190(a), including costs paid for associated fingerprinting or |
|
criminal history record information review, as provided by Section |
|
29.190(c). |
|
(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the total amount that |
|
may be used for reimbursement under that subsection for a school |
|
year may not exceed $20 million, of which not more than $500,000 may |
|
be used to reimburse the costs of fingerprinting or criminal |
|
history record information review. If the total amount to which |
|
school districts are entitled under Subsection (a) exceeds the |
|
amount permitted under this subsection, the commissioner shall |
|
proportionately reduce each school district's entitlement under |
|
this section. |
|
SECTION 22. (a) This section takes effect only if S.B. |
|
1786, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, becomes law. |
|
(b) Section 204.0025, Labor Code, is amended to read as |
|
follows: |
|
Sec. 204.0025. ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE DATA REPORTING. The |
|
commission shall [It is the intent of the legislature that the |
|
commission, subject to the availability of federal funding or other |
|
resources for the purpose,] work with employers to enhance the |
|
reporting of employment and earnings data by employers to the |
|
commission as part of an employer's routine wage filings under this |
|
subtitle or commission rule and consistent with federal law and |
|
regulations. The enhanced wage filings must include information |
|
related to wage, industry, occupational field, full-time and |
|
part-time status, county of primary employment, remote work status, |
|
[occupation] and other important employment information necessary |
|
to conduct the assessment required under Section 302.0205 [that |
|
would improve the state's labor market information]. |
|
SECTION 23. (a) This section takes effect only if S.B. |
|
1786, 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, does not become law. |
|
(b) Section 204.0025, Labor Code, is amended to read as |
|
follows: |
|
Sec. 204.0025. ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE DATA REPORTING. The |
|
commission shall [It is the intent of the legislature that the |
|
commission, subject to the availability of federal funding or other |
|
resources for the purpose,] work with employers to enhance the |
|
reporting of employment and earnings data by employers to the |
|
commission as part of an employer's routine wage filings under this |
|
subtitle or commission rule and consistent with federal law and |
|
regulations. The enhanced wage filings must include information |
|
related to wage, industry, occupational field, full-time and |
|
part-time status, county of primary employment, remote work status, |
|
[occupation] and other important employment information that would |
|
improve the state's labor market information. |
|
SECTION 24. The heading to Section 312.003, Labor Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 312.003. INVENTORY OF CERTIFICATIONS [CREDENTIALS AND |
|
CERTIFICATES]. |
|
SECTION 25. Sections 312.003(a), (b), (c), and (d), Labor |
|
Code, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) The advisory council shall develop an inventory of |
|
industry-recognized certifications [credentials and certificates] |
|
that may be earned by a public high school student through a career |
|
and technology education program and that: |
|
(1) are aligned to state and regional workforce needs; |
|
and |
|
(2) serve as an entry point to middle- and high-wage |
|
jobs. |
|
(b) The inventory must include for each certification |
|
[credential or certificate]: |
|
(1) the associated career cluster; |
|
(2) the awarding entity; |
|
(3) the level of education required and any additional |
|
requirements for the certification [credential or certificate]; |
|
(4) any fees for obtaining the certification |
|
[credential or certificate]; and |
|
(5) the average wage or salary for jobs that require or |
|
prefer the certification [credential or certificate]. |
|
(c) In developing the inventory, the advisory council may |
|
consult with local workforce boards, the Texas Workforce Investment |
|
Council, the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office, the |
|
Texas Education Agency, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
|
Board. |
|
(d) The advisory council shall establish a process for |
|
developing the inventory, including the criteria for the inclusion |
|
of a certification [credential or certificate] in the inventory. |
|
SECTION 26. Section 29.912(h), Education Code, is repealed. |
|
SECTION 27. The Texas Education Agency shall first update |
|
the statewide goal for career readiness created under Section |
|
7.043(a), Education Code, as added by this Act, in accordance with |
|
Subsection (b) of that section not later than the 2028-2029 school |
|
year. |
|
SECTION 28. Section 28.0095(c-1), Education Code, as added |
|
by this Act, and Sections 29.190, 29.912, 33.007(b), and |
|
39.0261(a), Education Code, as amended by this Act, apply beginning |
|
with the 2025-2026 school year. |
|
SECTION 29. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails |
|
over another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025. |
|
SECTION 30. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of |
|
this section and as otherwise provided by this Act, this Act takes |
|
effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the |
|
members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article |
|
III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote |
|
necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, |
|
2025. |
|
(b) The amendments by this Act to Chapter 48, Education |
|
Code, take effect September 1, 2025. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
|
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
|
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 120 was passed by the House on April |
|
16, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 1, 1 present, not |
|
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
|
No. 120 on May 28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 116, Nays 6, 1 |
|
present, not voting. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 120 was passed by the Senate, with |
|
amendments, on May 25, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
|
0. |
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
APPROVED: __________________ |
|
Date |
|
|
|
__________________ |
|
Governor |