84R11950 KJE-D
By: Watson S.B. No. 1312
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of the Texas Competency-Based
Education Grant Program for certain students enrolled in
competency-based online or other distance education baccalaureate
degree programs at certain private institutions of higher
education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter U to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER U. TEXAS COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM
Sec. 56.601. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
(2) "Eligible institution" means a nonprofit,
tax-exempt, regionally accredited college or university located in
this state that offers competency-based online or other distance
education.
(3) "Expected family contribution" means the amount of
discretionary income that should be available to a student from the
resources of the student and of the student's family, as determined
by the coordinating board following the methodology prescribed by
the United States Department of Education for the purpose of
determining a student's eligibility for need-based student
financial assistance.
(4) "General academic teaching institution" has the
meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(5) "Program" means the Texas Competency-Based
Education Grant Program established under this subchapter.
Sec. 56.602. PURPOSE. The purpose of the Texas
Competency-Based Education Grant Program is to provide financial
assistance to enable eligible students to enroll in
competency-based online or other distance education baccalaureate
degree programs at eligible institutions.
Sec. 56.603. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM; PRIORITY FOR
FINANCIAL NEED. (a) The coordinating board shall administer the
program and adopt any rules necessary to implement the program or
this subchapter. The coordinating board shall consult with the
student financial aid officers of eligible institutions in
developing the rules.
(b) The total amount of grants awarded under the program may
not exceed the amount available for the program from
appropriations, gifts, grants, or other funds.
(c) In determining who should receive a grant under the
program, the coordinating board and the eligible institutions shall
give highest priority to awarding grants to students who
demonstrate the greatest financial need.
Sec. 56.604. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANT. (a) To be
eligible initially for a grant under the program, a person must:
(1) be a resident of this state as determined by
coordinating board rules;
(2) meet financial need requirements as defined by
coordinating board rules, including a requirement that the person's
expected family contribution for the academic year does not exceed
the maximum expected family contribution established for this
purpose by the coordinating board;
(3) be enrolled in a competency-based online or other
distance education baccalaureate degree program at an eligible
institution;
(4) not be receiving a grant or other gift aid under
any other state financial aid grant program for the same academic
period; and
(5) comply with any additional nonacademic
requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this
subchapter.
(b) A person is not eligible to receive a grant under the
program if the person has been granted a baccalaureate degree.
(c) A person's eligibility for a grant under the program
ends on the earliest of the following dates:
(1) the fourth anniversary of the initial award of a
grant under the program to the person and the person's enrollment in
an eligible institution, if at the time of the initial award the
person had earned less than 60 semester credit hours or an
equivalent number of competency units or credits toward the
person's degree;
(2) the second anniversary of the initial award of a
grant under the program to the person and the person's enrollment in
an eligible institution, if at the time of the initial award the
person had earned 60 or more semester credit hours or an equivalent
number of competency units or credits toward the person's degree;
or
(3) the date the person receives a baccalaureate
degree.
Sec. 56.605. CONTINUING ELIGIBILITY AND ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS. (a) After initially qualifying for a
grant under the program, a person may continue to receive a grant
under the program during each semester or term in which the person
is enrolled at an eligible institution only if the person:
(1) meets the criteria for initial eligibility under
Section 56.604(a);
(2) makes satisfactory academic progress toward a
baccalaureate degree; and
(3) complies with any additional nonacademic
requirement adopted by the coordinating board.
(b) If a person fails to meet any of the requirements of
Subsection (a) after the completion of any semester or term, the
person may not receive a grant under the program during the next
semester or term in which the person enrolls. Unless the person's
eligibility for a grant expires under Section 56.604(c), a person
may become eligible to receive a grant under the program in a
subsequent semester or term if the person:
(1) completes at least 15 semester credit hours or an
equivalent number of competency units or credits in a semester or
term during which the student is not eligible for a grant; and
(2) meets all the requirements of Subsection (a).
(c) For the purpose of this section, a person makes
satisfactory academic progress toward a baccalaureate degree only
if the person completes at least 15 semester credit hours or an
equivalent number of competency units or credits in each semester
or term in which the person is enrolled.
(d) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a
person who is otherwise eligible to receive a grant under the
program to receive a grant if the student's completion rate falls
below the satisfactory academic progress requirements of this
section in the event of a hardship or for other good cause shown,
including:
(1) a showing of a severe illness or other
debilitating condition that may affect the person's academic
performance; or
(2) a showing that the person is responsible for the
care of a sick, injured, or needy person and that the person's
provision of care may affect the person's academic performance.
Sec. 56.606. GRANT USE. A person receiving a grant under
the program may use the money to pay any usual and customary cost of
attendance at an eligible institution incurred by the student. The
institution may disburse all or part of the proceeds of a grant
under the program to an eligible person only if the tuition and
required fees incurred by the person at the institution have been
paid.
Sec. 56.607. GRANT AMOUNT. (a) The maximum annual amount
of a grant under the program for a full-time undergraduate student
equivalent enrolled at an eligible institution is an amount equal
to 75 percent of the average state appropriation for the state
fiscal biennium preceding the biennium in which the grant is
awarded for a full-time undergraduate student equivalent enrolled
at a general academic teaching institution, as determined by the
coordinating board.
(b) The coordinating board may adopt rules that allow the
coordinating board to increase or decrease, in proportion to the
number of semester credit hours or competency units or credits in
which a student is enrolled, the amount of a grant award to a
student who is enrolled in a number of semester credit hours or
competency units or credits in excess of or below 15 semester credit
hours or an equivalent number of competency units or credits.
Sec. 56.608. GRANT NOT TO AFFECT ADMISSION. An eligible
institution may not deny admission to or enrollment in the
institution based on a person's eligibility to receive a grant
under the program or a person's receipt of a grant under the
program.
SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter U, Chapter 56,
Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
the effective date of this Act. For that purpose, the coordinating
board may adopt the initial rules in the manner provided by law for
emergency rules.
(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
begin awarding scholarships under Subchapter U, Chapter 56,
Education Code, as added by this Act, for the first academic year
for which money is appropriated for that purpose, except that the
coordinating board may not award grants under that subchapter for
an academic year before the 2016-2017 academic 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, 2015.