By: Perry, et al. S.B. No. 13
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to measures to support public school student academic
achievement and career preparation, including measures to improve
and support dual credit courses and the development of public
outreach materials.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.009(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The agency shall coordinate with the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board as necessary in administering this
section. The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary concerning
the duties under this section of a school district. The Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt rules as necessary
concerning the duties under this section of a public institution of
higher education. A rule may not limit the number of dual credit
courses or hours in which a student may enroll while in high school
or limit the number of dual credit courses or hours in which a
student may enroll each semester or academic year.
SECTION 2. (a) Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code,
is amended by adding Section 28.015 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.015. PUBLIC OUTREACH MATERIALS TO PROMOTE
CURRICULUM CHANGE AWARENESS. (a) The agency shall develop uniform
public outreach materials that explain the importance and outline
the details of public school curriculum changes under Chapter 211
(H.B. 5), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, and
subsequent associated decisions by the State Board of Education.
The agency shall make the materials available to school districts.
(b) The materials developed under this section must:
(1) be available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese;
(2) be in a form that would allow school districts to
mail the information to students and parents; and
(3) include an explanation of:
(A) the basic career and college readiness
components of each endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);
(B) the curriculum requirements to gain
automatic college admission under Section 51.803; and
(C) applicable course, graduation plan, and
endorsement requirements for financial aid authorized under Title
3, including curriculum requirements for:
(i) the TEXAS grant as provided under
Subchapter M, Chapter 56;
(ii) the Texas Educational Opportunity
Grant Program as provided under Subchapter P, Chapter 56; and
(iii) the Texas B-On-time loan program as
provided under Subchapter Q, Chapter 56.
(c) This section expires September 1, 2018.
(b) The Texas Education Agency shall develop the materials
described under Section 28.015, Education Code, as added by this
section, no later than December 1, 2015.
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.016 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.016. INSTRUCTION IN HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND
CAREER PREPARATION. (a) Each school district shall provide
instruction to students in grades seven or eight in preparing for
high school, college, and a career.
(b) The instruction must include information regarding:
(1) the creation of a high school personal graduation
plan under Section 28.02121;
(2) the distinguished level of achievement described
by Section 28.025(b-15);
(3) each endorsement described by Section
28.025(c-1);
(4) college readiness standards; and
(5) potential career choices and the education needed
to enter those careers.
(c) A school district may provide the instruction as a part
of any existing course or may establish a new course through which
to provide the instruction.
SECTION 4. Section 130.008, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read as follows:
(g) A course offered for joint high school and junior
college credit under this section must be taught by a qualified
instructor approved or selected by the public junior college. For
purposes of this subsection, an instructor is qualified if the
instructor holds:
(1) a doctoral or master's degree in the discipline
that is the subject of the course; or
(2) a master's degree in another discipline with a
concentration that required completion of a minimum of 18 graduate
semester hours in the discipline that is the subject of the course.
(h) Not later than the 60th day after receipt, a public
junior college shall approve or reject an application for approval
to teach a course at a high school that is submitted by an
instructor employed by the school district, organization, or other
person that operates the high school with which the junior college
entered into an agreement under this section to offer the course.
SECTION 5. Section 303.003(b-2), Labor Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b-2) In addition to the purposes described by Subsections
(b) and (b-1), in each state fiscal biennium, an amount of money
from the skills development fund not to exceed five percent of the
amount of general revenue appropriated to the skills development
fund for that biennium may be used as provided by this subsection.
Funds available to the commission from other sources may also be
used as provided by this subsection. Funds may be awarded under
this subsection to a lower-division institution of higher education
to be used under an agreement with a school district, or to a school
district to be used under an agreement with a lower-division
institution of higher education, to support courses offered for
joint high school and college-level credit or offered under a
college credit career or technical education program that leads to
an industry-recognized license, credential, or certificate.
Appropriate uses of funds awarded under this subsection include
purchasing or repairing necessary equipment for a course and
developing a course curriculum. A course or program supported
under this subsection must:
(1) have the endorsement of, or a letter of support
from, at least one employer in this state; and
(2) be targeted to address the needs of high-demand
fields or occupations, as identified by the applicable local
workforce development board.
SECTION 6. Section 28.016, Education Code, as added by this
Act, applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.
SECTION 7. 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, 2015.