| 1 | 1 | | 84R5345 KJE-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hernandez H.B. No. 951 |
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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 a study conducted by the Texas Higher Education |
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| 8 | 8 | | Coordinating Board on the qualification for and performance at |
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| 9 | 9 | | institutions of higher education of certain students who completed |
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| 10 | 10 | | certain mathematics courses during high school. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Section 61.07612 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 61.07612. STUDY ON QUALIFICATION AND PERFORMANCE OF |
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| 15 | 15 | | HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPLETING CERTAIN MATHEMATICS COURSES. (a) |
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| 16 | 16 | | Each academic year, the board shall conduct a study regarding the |
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| 17 | 17 | | qualification for and performance at institutions of higher |
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| 18 | 18 | | education of students graduating from school districts in |
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| 19 | 19 | | low-income areas, as defined by the board, who completed certain |
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| 20 | 20 | | mathematics courses during high school. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) The study must include a comparison of: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) acceptance rates at institutions of higher |
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| 23 | 23 | | education between students who, under the foundation high school |
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| 24 | 24 | | program under Section 28.025, successfully completed Algebra II and |
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| 25 | 25 | | students who successfully completed another advanced mathematics |
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| 26 | 26 | | course in place of Algebra II; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) retention rates at institutions of higher |
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| 28 | 28 | | education between students who successfully completed the |
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| 29 | 29 | | curriculum requirements established under Section 28.025 for the |
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| 30 | 30 | | distinguished level of achievement under the foundation high school |
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| 31 | 31 | | program and students who did not; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (3) between students who earned the science, |
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| 33 | 33 | | technology, engineering, and mathematics endorsement under Section |
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| 34 | 34 | | 28.025(c-1) and students who earned another endorsement or did not |
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| 35 | 35 | | earn an endorsement under that section, eligibility rates for: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (A) the following merit-based financial aid |
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| 37 | 37 | | programs: |
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| 38 | 38 | | (i) the TEXAS grant program under |
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| 39 | 39 | | Subchapter M, Chapter 56; |
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| 40 | 40 | | (ii) the Texas Educational Opportunity |
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| 41 | 41 | | Grant Program under Subchapter P, Chapter 56; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (iii) the Texas B-On-time loan program |
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| 43 | 43 | | under Subchapter Q, Chapter 56; or |
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| 44 | 44 | | (B) automatic admission to a general academic |
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| 45 | 45 | | teaching institution under Section 51.803. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (c) Not later than September 1 of each year, the board shall |
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| 47 | 47 | | submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the standing |
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| 48 | 48 | | legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over education a |
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| 49 | 49 | | report regarding the results of the study under this section and any |
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| 50 | 50 | | recommendations for legislative or administrative action. |
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| 51 | 51 | | (d) The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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| 52 | 52 | | this section in a manner that ensures compliance with federal law |
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| 53 | 53 | | regarding confidentiality of student educational information, |
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| 54 | 54 | | including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 |
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| 55 | 55 | | U.S.C. Section 1232g). |
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| 56 | 56 | | (e) This section expires December 1, 2019. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2016, the Texas |
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| 58 | 58 | | Higher Education Coordinating Board shall submit its initial report |
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| 59 | 59 | | required by Section 61.07612, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 60 | 60 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 61 | 61 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 62 | 62 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 63 | 63 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 64 | 64 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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