By: Branch, Lewis, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro) H.B. No. 34
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 2011;
April 29, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on
Education; May 11, 2011, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 11, 2011, sent to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to including in the public high school curriculum
instruction in methods of paying for postsecondary education and
training.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.0021, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (b) and (c) to read
as follows:
(a) The Texas essential knowledge and skills and Section
28.025 shall require instruction in personal financial literacy,
including instruction in methods of paying for college and other
postsecondary education and training, in one or more courses
required for high school graduation.
(b) Each school district and each open-enrollment charter
school that offers a high school program shall provide to a student
instruction in personal financial literacy in any course meeting
the requirements for an economics credit under Section 28.025,
using materials approved by the State Board of Education. The
instruction in personal financial literacy must include
instruction on completing the application for federal student aid
provided by the United States Department of Education. In
fulfilling the requirement to provide financial literacy
instruction under this section, a school district or
open-enrollment charter school may use an existing state, federal,
private, or nonprofit program that provides students without charge
the instruction described under this section.
(c) The State Board of Education shall, not later than
January 31, 2012, identify the essential knowledge and skills of
personal financial literacy instruction to include instruction in
methods of paying for college and other postsecondary education and
training and shall, not later than August 31, 2012, approve under
Subsection (b) materials that provide for such instruction.
Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, each school district and
each open-enrollment charter school that offers a high school
program shall include, in required instruction in personal
financial literacy, instruction in methods of paying for college
and other postsecondary education and training and use materials
approved for that purpose under Subsection (b). This subsection
expires September 1, 2014.
SECTION 2. Section 28.0021(c), Education Code, as added by
this Act, applies to a student entering grade nine on or after the
effective date of this Act.
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, 2011.
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