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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a postsecondary advising program |
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for students who are the first in their families to pursue |
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postsecondary education or who are educationally disadvantaged. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter H to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER H. BREAKTHROUGH PROGRAM |
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Sec. 33.301. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "program" |
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means the Breakthrough program established under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 33.302. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. The commissioner |
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shall establish the Breakthrough program through which the agency |
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shall collaborate with a nonprofit organization to provide |
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postsecondary advising to students who are: |
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(1) the first in their families to pursue a |
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postsecondary certificate or degree; or |
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(2) educationally disadvantaged. |
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Sec. 33.303. DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER AND AGENCY. (a) The |
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commissioner shall: |
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(1) coordinate the efforts of the program with social |
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service organizations and agencies and public school personnel to |
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provide services to students who are at risk of not completing |
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critical steps to graduate from high school and pursue |
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postsecondary education and career opportunities after high school |
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graduation; |
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(2) establish performance goals, objectives, and |
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measures for the program, including performance goals, objectives, |
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and measures for the improvement of student: |
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(A) academic achievement; |
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(B) promotion, retention, and graduation; and |
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(C) enrollment in postsecondary education; |
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(3) evaluate progress toward the performance goals, |
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objectives, and measures established under Subdivision (2); |
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(4) assist communities that seek to participate in the |
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program to establish a local funding base for a local program; |
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(5) provide training and technical assistance for |
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participating communities and local programs; and |
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(6) by rule adopt and annually update policies |
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concerning: |
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(A) the agency's responsibility in encouraging |
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local businesses to participate in the program; |
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(B) the agency's responsibility in obtaining |
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information from local programs; and |
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(C) other aspects of the program the commissioner |
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determines appropriate. |
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(b) The agency shall support the development and |
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implementation of local programs under the program. |
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Sec. 33.304. FUNDING FOR LOCAL PROGRAMS. (a) Each local |
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program shall develop a funding plan that ensures that the level of |
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services for the local program would be maintained if state funding |
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for the local program is reduced. |
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(b) A local program may accept federal money, state money, |
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donations, and grants for the local program. |
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Sec. 33.305. AGENCY PERFORMANCE OF PROGRAM FUNCTIONS |
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REQUIRED. The agency: |
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(1) must perform each function concerning the program |
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for which the agency is responsible; and |
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(2) may not contract with a private entity to perform a |
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function described by Subdivision (1). |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |