| 1 | 1 | | By: Lucio, et al. S.B. No. 1557 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (Villarreal) |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to business and nonprofit organization participation in |
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| 8 | 8 | | supporting early college high schools. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 29.908, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsections (e), (f), |
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| 12 | 12 | | and (g) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (c) A student participating in the program is entitled to |
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| 14 | 14 | | the benefits of the Foundation School Program in proportion to the |
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| 15 | 15 | | amount of time spent by the student on high school courses, in |
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| 16 | 16 | | accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner, while completing |
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| 17 | 17 | | the course of study established by the applicable articulation |
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| 18 | 18 | | agreement under Subsection (b)(3). |
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| 19 | 19 | | (d) The commissioner may accept gifts, grants, and |
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| 20 | 20 | | donations from any source, including private and nonprofit |
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| 21 | 21 | | organizations. Private and nonprofit organizations that |
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| 22 | 22 | | contribute to the fund shall receive an award under Section 7.113[, |
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| 23 | 23 | | to pay any costs of the program not covered by the student's |
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| 24 | 24 | | Foundation School Program benefits]. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (e) The commissioner shall collaborate with the Texas |
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| 26 | 26 | | Workforce Commission and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating |
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| 27 | 27 | | Board to develop and implement a strategic plan to enhance private |
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| 28 | 28 | | industry participation under this section. The plan must |
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| 29 | 29 | | include: |
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| 30 | 30 | | (1) strategies to increase private industry |
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| 31 | 31 | | participation; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (2) incentives for businesses and nonprofit |
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| 33 | 33 | | organizations that choose to make donations and work with high |
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| 34 | 34 | | schools that participate in a program under this section to |
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| 35 | 35 | | maximize job placement opportunities for program graduates. |
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| 36 | 36 | | (f) Not later than December 1, 2014, the commissioner shall |
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| 37 | 37 | | provide a report that summarizes the strategic plan developed under |
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| 38 | 38 | | Subsection (e) to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house |
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| 39 | 39 | | of representatives, the governor, the Texas Workforce Commission, |
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| 40 | 40 | | and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The Texas |
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| 41 | 41 | | Education Agency, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | Higher Education Coordinating Board shall each make the report |
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| 43 | 43 | | available on the respective agency's Internet website. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (g) [(d)] The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 45 | 45 | | administer the program. The rules may provide for giving |
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| 46 | 46 | | preference in receiving program benefits to a student who is in the |
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| 47 | 47 | | first generation of the student's family to attend college and may |
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| 48 | 48 | | establish other distinctions or criteria based on student need. |
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| 49 | 49 | | The commissioner shall consult the Texas Higher Education |
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| 50 | 50 | | Coordinating Board in administering the program. The Texas Higher |
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| 51 | 51 | | Education Coordinating Board may adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 52 | 52 | | exercise its powers and duties under this section. The P-16 Council |
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| 53 | 53 | | may make recommendations, including recommendations for rules, |
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| 54 | 54 | | concerning administration of the program. |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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