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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a student's eligibility to participate in the Financial |
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Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 28.0095(c), (e), (f), and (h), |
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Education Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(c) A student is eligible to enroll at no cost in a dual |
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credit course under the program if the student: |
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(1) is enrolled: |
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(A) in high school in a school district, [or] |
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charter school, or private school, including a home school; and |
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(B) in a dual credit course at a participating |
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institution of higher education; and |
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(2) was educationally disadvantaged at any time during |
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the four school years preceding the student's enrollment in the |
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dual credit course described by Subdivision (1)(B). |
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(e) Each school district, [or] charter school, or private |
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school shall: |
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(1) on a high school student's enrollment in a dual |
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credit course, determine whether the student meets the criteria for |
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the program under Subsection (c)(2); and |
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(2) notify the institution of higher education that |
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offers the dual credit course in which the student is enrolled of |
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the district's or school's determination under Subdivision (1). |
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(f) A school district, [or] charter school, or private |
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school may make the determination under Subsection (e)(1) based on |
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the district's or school's records, the agency's records, or any |
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other method authorized by commissioner or coordinating board rule. |
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If the district or school bases the determination on a method other |
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than the agency's records, the district or school shall report the |
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method used and the data on which the method is based to the agency |
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for purposes of verification. |
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(h) The coordinating board shall distribute money |
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transferred to the coordinating board under Section 48.308, or |
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appropriated to the coordinating board for purposes of paying costs |
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for eligible students enrolled in a private school, to the |
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participating institutions of higher education in proportion to the |
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number of dual credit courses in which eligible students are |
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enrolled at the institution. |
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SECTION 2. Section 48.308(b), Education Code, as added by |
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Chapter 378 (H.B. 8), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2023, is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) An institution of higher education participating in the |
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FAST program is entitled to an allotment in an amount equal to the |
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amount of tuition set by coordinating board rule under Section |
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28.0095(d) for each dual credit course in which a student who is |
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enrolled in a school district or open-enrollment charter school and |
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is eligible to participate in the FAST program is enrolled at the |
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institution. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.059, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (u) to read as follows: |
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(u) In its instruction and operations formula applicable to |
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an institution of higher education participating in the Financial |
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Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program under Section 28.0095, the |
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board shall include the amount of tuition set by coordinating board |
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rule under Section 28.0095(d) for each dual credit course in which a |
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student who is enrolled in a private school and is eligible to |
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participate in the FAST program is enrolled at the institution. |
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SECTION 4. Section 28.0095, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2025. |