By: Villarreal H.B. No. 4405
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to establishment of the TEXAS Grant early enrollment
guarantee program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter M, Chapter 56, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 56.312 to read as follows:
Sec. 56.312. TEXAS GRANT EARLY ENROLLMENT GUARANTEE
PROGRAM. (a) Following enrollment in seventh grade and prior to
enrollment in twelfth grade in a Texas Public School, a student who
is a resident of this state as determined by coordinating board
rules may apply for the TEXAS Grant early enrollment guarantee
program.
(b) A student is eligible to enroll in the TEXAS Grant early
enrollment guarantee program if the Higher Education Coordinating
Board certifies that the student demonstrates financial need for
purposes of the TEXAS Grant early enrollment guarantee program.
(c) A student who is eligible for the TEXAS Grant early
enrollment guarantee program may enroll by signing a contract with
the state of Texas stipulating that the state will provide TEXAS
Grants to the person if he or she complies with the TEXAS Grant
eligibility requirements in place at the time the student enrolls
in an undergraduate degree program or certificate program at an
eligible institution.
(d) The coordinating board shall adopt rules that require
students who enroll in the TEXAS Grant early enrollment guarantee
program to apply for any available financial aid or assistance in
the manner typically required for students eligible to received a
TEXAS grant.
(e) Notwithstanding the financial need of the student at the
time her or she enrolls in an undergraduate degree program or
certificate program at an eligible institution, a student who has
enrolled in the TEXAS Grant Early enrollment guarantee program, is
enrolled full-time in an eligible institution, and is otherwise
eligible to received a grant under this subchapter shall received a
minimum awards of at least the amount provided to a student enrolled
full-time at a public junior college.
(f) The coordinating board may adopt rules that allow the
coordinating board to increase or decrease, in proportion to the
number of semester credit hours in which a student is enrolled, the
minimum grant award provided to students who have enrolled in the
TEXAS Grant early enrollment program.
(g) The coordinating board shall administer the TEXAS Grant
early enrollment guarantee program and shall adopt any rules
necessary to implement the program, including:
(1) a streamlined financial need assessment tool for
determining eligibility for the TEXAS Grant early guarantee
enrollment program, based on information ordinarily provided to the
Internal Revenue Service of the Unites States on the income tax
forms of dependent students and their parents or guardians.
(2) the contract in part (c)
(3) an outreach program to notify students, parents
and teachers of the TEXAS Grant early enrollment guarantee program,
with an emphasis on outreach to schools with disproportionately
high numbers of economically disadvantaged students or students who
have traditionally underserved by higher education.
(4) an annual statement to be distributed to students
who participate in the program which includes, but is not limited to
information about:
(A) the importance of academic preparation for
higher education,
(B) financial aid,
(C) college savings options available throughout
the state of Texas, federal financial aid programs, differences in
projected earning for students who complete high school diplomas,
associate, baccalaureate, professional, or graduate degrees, and a
statement of what enrollees' minimum and possible maximum TEXAS
Grant awards are projected to be based on the most current year.
(D) and to the extent practicable, the report
should reflect students' individual progress in their academic
programs including coursework and test scores.
(E) provide students and their families with the
option to have relevant academic and contact information released
to accredited public and private higher education institutions for
recruitment purposes.
(5) an annual report on the program starting with the
first year students enrolled in the TEXAS Grant early enrollment
guarantee program matriculate into higher education
SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall adopt rules to implement the TEXAS grant early enrollment
guaranteed program as required by Section 56.312, Education Code,
as added by this Act, beginning with the 2010-2011 school year.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.