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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Breakthrough Program. |
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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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Sections 33.261, 33.262, 33.263, 33.264, 33.265 and 33.266 |
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Education Code, are added to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.261 DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(a) “Breakthrough” means a Postsecondary Advising |
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Program that supports students who are the first in their families |
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to pursue and attain a postsecondary certificate or diploma, or |
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students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. |
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Sec. 33.262. DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER. (a) The commissioner |
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shall: |
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(1) coordinate the efforts of the Breakthrough program |
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with other social service organizations and agencies and with |
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public school personnel to provide services to students who are at |
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risk of not completing critical steps to complete high school and |
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pursue college and career options after graduation; |
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(2) support the Breakthrough program to establish |
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performance goals, objectives, and measures for the program, |
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including performance goals, objectives, and measures that |
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consider improvement in student: |
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(A) academic achievement; |
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(B) promotion, graduation, and retention; and |
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(C) matriculation into postsecondary education |
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(3) obtain information to determine accomplishment of |
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performance goals, objectives, and measures; |
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(4) help communities that want to participate in the |
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program establish a local funding base; |
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(5) provide training and technical assistance for |
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participating communities and programs; |
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(6) and adopt policies concerning: |
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(A) the responsibility of the agency in |
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Encouraging local businesses to participate in local Breakthrough |
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programs; |
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(B) the responsibility of the agency in Obtaining |
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information from participating programs; and |
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(C) any other areas concerning the program. |
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Identified by the commissioner. |
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(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement the |
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policies described by Subsection (a)(7) and shall annually update |
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the rules. |
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Sec. 33.263. COOPERATION WITH BREAKTHROUGH. (a) The |
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agency and Breakthrough shall work together to maximize the |
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effectiveness of the Breakthrough program. |
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Sec. 33.264. FUNDING. (a) The agency shall support local |
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Breakthrough programs to develop and implement. |
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(b) Each local Breakthrough program shall develop a funding |
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plan which ensures that the level of services is maintained if state |
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funding is reduced. |
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(c) A local Breakthrough program may accept federal funds, |
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state funds, private contributions, grants, and public and school |
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district funds to support the program. |
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Sec. 33.265. AGENCY PERFORMANCE OF BREAKTHROUGH FUNCTIONS |
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REQUIRED. (a) The agency, through the Breakthrough State Office: |
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(1) must perform each function concerning the |
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Breakthrough program 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 33.266. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |