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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the reporting of data relating to postsecondary |
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education and workforce trends by the Texas Higher Education |
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Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission, to |
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performance tier funding under the public junior college finance |
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program, and to a biennial regional labor demand assessment by the |
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coordinating board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 61.09023 and 61.09096 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 61.09023. REPORTING ON POSTSECONDARY OUTCOMES. (a) |
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The board shall post on the board's Internet website the following |
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de-identified data, disaggregated by institution of higher |
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education and matriculating cohort: |
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(1) for students who graduate from a degree, |
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certificate, or other credential program: |
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(A) the program completed; |
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(B) the employment status of graduates from each |
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program, including, if known, the number of those graduates who |
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enrolled in additional postsecondary education; and |
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(C) the counties of employment and residence, |
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industries of employment, occupations, and wages of graduates from |
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each program; and |
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(2) for students who have not graduated from a degree, |
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certificate, or other credential program and are no longer enrolled |
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in that program: |
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(A) the program in which the student was most |
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recently enrolled; |
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(B) the number of credits remaining before the |
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student would complete the program; |
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(C) the student's employment status, including, |
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if known, whether the student is enrolled in another degree, |
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certificate, or other credential program at an institution of |
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higher education; and |
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(D) the counties and industries of employment, |
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occupations, and wages of those students. |
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(b) The board shall ensure the data posted under Subsection |
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(a) complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of |
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1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). |
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Sec. 61.09096. BIENNIAL REGIONAL LABOR DEMAND ASSESSMENT. |
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(a) The board, in consultation with the Texas Workforce |
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Commission, shall conduct a biennial assessment of regional labor |
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demands across the state to allow institutions of higher education |
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to better align educational programs with workforce needs. In |
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conducting the assessment, the board shall: |
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(1) analyze current and projected workforce needs in |
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each region of the state over a 10-year period, disaggregated by |
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wage, industry, occupational field, full-time and part-time |
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status, county of primary employment, county of residence, and |
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remote work status; |
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(2) identify for each region and county the industries |
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and occupations that lead to a self-sufficient wage, as determined |
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under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, based on local labor |
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market conditions; |
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(3) provide a list of degrees, certificates, or other |
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credentials included in the library of credentials established |
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under Section 2308A.007, Government Code, that lead to jobs in the |
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industries or occupations identified under Subdivision (2); and |
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(4) provide information on outcomes relating to each |
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degree, certificate, or other credential listed under Subdivision |
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(3), including: |
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(A) the median wage earned by students who |
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graduated with the degree, certificate, or other credential in 1 |
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year, 5 years, and 10 years after completion of the program; and |
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(B) job placement rates in six months of |
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completion of the degree, certificate, or other credential. |
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(b) To assist the board in conducting the assessment under |
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this section, the board, in coordination with other state agencies, |
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including the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Education |
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Agency, and other relevant entities, shall: |
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(1) access labor market information, employment data, |
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and workforce projections; and |
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(2) ensure that educational and training programs, |
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credentialing pathways, and career preparation efforts are |
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informed by comprehensive and accurate labor market data. |
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(c) The board shall provide the labor market information and |
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workforce projections obtained from the assessment conducted under |
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this section to institutions of higher education, school districts, |
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and open-enrollment charter schools to support program development |
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aligned with regional workforce needs. |
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(d) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the board shall report the results of the assessment conducted |
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under this section to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing |
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legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over higher |
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education. |
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SECTION 2. Section 130A.101(c), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c) The measurable outcomes considered for purposes of |
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performance tier funding are: |
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(1) the number of credentials of value awarded, as |
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determined by the coordinating board under Section 130A.102 [based |
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on analyses of wages and costs associated with the credential], |
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including degrees, certificates, and other credentials from credit |
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and non-credit programs that equip students for continued learning |
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and greater earnings in the state economy, with an additional |
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weight for placement of students who earn that credential in a |
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high-demand occupation, as defined by coordinating board rule, or |
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an appropriate proxy determined by the coordinating board based on |
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available data; |
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(2) the number of students who earn at least 15 |
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semester credit hours or the equivalent at the junior college |
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district and: |
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(A) subsequently transfer to a general academic |
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teaching institution, as that term is defined by Section 61.003; or |
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(B) are enrolled in a structured co-enrollment |
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program, as authorized by coordinating board rule; and |
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(3) the number of students who complete a sequence of |
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at least 15 semester credit hours or the equivalent for dual credit |
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or dual enrollment courses, as defined by coordinating board rule, |
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that apply toward academic or workforce program requirements at the |
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postsecondary level. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 130A, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 130A.102 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 130A.102. CREDENTIALS OF VALUE. (a) For purposes of |
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Section 130A.101(c)(1), the coordinating board shall designate a |
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postsecondary credential as a credential of value if the |
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credential: |
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(1) is aligned with regional or state workforce |
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demand; |
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(2) provides a positive return on investment within a |
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time frame relatively proportional, as determined by the |
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coordinating board, to the duration of the certificate or degree |
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program at a public junior college through which a person may earn |
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the credential; and |
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(3) ensures a person who graduates from a public |
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junior college with the credential achieves a minimum earnings |
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threshold as determined under Subsection (b). |
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(b) The coordinating board by rule shall establish a minimum |
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earnings threshold for a credential of value. In establishing the |
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threshold, the coordinating board must consider: |
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(1) the time frame in which earnings from the |
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credential exceed the total cost of attendance at a public junior |
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college, including foregone wages; and |
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(2) whether the earnings meet or exceed the amount of |
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the self-sufficient wage determined under Section 2308A.012, |
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Government Code, within a time frame relatively proportional, as |
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determined by the coordinating board, to the duration of the |
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certificate or degree program at a public junior college through |
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which a person may earn the credential. |
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(c) The coordinating board by rule may designate a |
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postsecondary credential as a credential of value regardless of |
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whether the credential meets the requirements under Subsection (a) |
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if the coordinating board determines the designation necessary. A |
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designation under this subsection expires on the second anniversary |
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of the date on which the designation was made unless renewed by the |
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coordinating board. In determining whether a designation is |
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necessary, the coordinating board shall consider: |
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(1) workforce demand in critical industries; |
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(2) alignment with state economic priorities; |
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(3) public service or essential workforce roles; and |
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(4) other considerations the coordinating board deems |
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necessary. |
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SECTION 4. Section 204.0025, Labor Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 204.0025. ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE DATA REPORTING. The |
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commission shall [It is the intent of the legislature that the |
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commission, subject to the availability of federal funding or other |
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resources for the purpose,] work with employers to enhance the |
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reporting of employment and earnings data by employers to the |
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commission as part of an employer's routine wage filings under this |
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subtitle or commission rule and consistent with federal law and |
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regulations. The enhanced wage filings must include information |
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related to wage, industry, occupational field, full-time and |
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part-time status, county of primary employment, county of |
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residence, remote work status, [occupation] and other important |
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employment information necessary to conduct the assessment |
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required under Section 61.09096, Education Code [that would improve |
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the state's labor market information]. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |