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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of an intensive workforce readiness |
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adult education pilot program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12.255, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (e) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c) Subject to Subsections [Subsection] (d) and (e), the |
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commissioner may not grant more than 10 charters under this |
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subchapter. |
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(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (c) or any other law and in |
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addition to the number of charters allowed under this section and |
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Subchapter D, the commissioner shall, on the basis of an |
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application submitted, grant a charter to an eligible entity to |
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provide an intensive workforce readiness adult education program |
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under the pilot program established under Section 12.266. The |
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commissioner may not grant more than four charters under this |
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subsection. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter G, Chapter 12, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 12.266 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.266. INTENSIVE WORKFORCE READINESS PILOT PROGRAM. |
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(a) The agency shall establish a pilot program under which one or |
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more eligible entities provide an intensive workforce readiness |
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adult education program to enable an individual described by |
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Section 12.258 to successfully complete: |
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(1) a program that leads to a high school diploma; and |
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(2) career and technology courses that result in the |
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conferral of: |
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(A) at least one industry certification or |
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license; and |
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(B) at least one certification or license in an |
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occupation identified by the local workforce development board |
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serving the area in which the pilot program operates as a high |
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demand occupation in the area. |
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(b) The agency shall establish application criteria under |
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which eligible entities may apply to provide an adult education |
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program under the pilot program. The agency shall require each |
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applicant to identify: |
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(1) the local workforce development board serving the |
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area in which the applicant intends to operate an adult education |
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program under the pilot program and the high demand occupations in |
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that area as identified by the board; and |
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(2) each industry certification or license an |
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individual who successfully completes the adult education program |
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is eligible to receive. |
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(c) An entity granted a charter to provide an intensive |
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workforce readiness adult education program under the pilot program |
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established under this section is subject to: |
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(1) this subchapter, including the requirements under |
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Section 12.259; and |
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(2) rules adopted under Section 12.265, including |
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rules related to the maximum number of students who may be enrolled |
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in a program under Section 12.265(c). |
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SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2028, the Texas |
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Education Agency shall establish and implement the pilot program |
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required by Section 12.266, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2027. |