| 1 | 1 | | 85R1660 KEL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Clardy, Johnson of Harris H.B. No. 796 |
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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 the work-study student mentorship program administered |
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| 8 | 8 | | by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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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. Sections 56.079(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (i), |
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| 11 | 11 | | Education Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (b) In accordance with this section and coordinating board |
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| 13 | 13 | | rules, the coordinating board shall administer a work-study student |
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| 14 | 14 | | mentorship program under which students who are enrolled at |
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| 15 | 15 | | participating eligible institutions and who meet the eligibility |
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| 16 | 16 | | requirements for employment in the Texas college work-study program |
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| 17 | 17 | | under Section 56.075 may be employed by participating entities |
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| 18 | 18 | | under the Texas college work-study program to: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) mentor students at participating eligible |
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| 20 | 20 | | institutions or high school students in participating school |
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| 21 | 21 | | districts; [or] |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) counsel high school students at GO Centers or |
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| 23 | 23 | | similar high school-based recruiting centers designed to improve |
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| 24 | 24 | | student access to higher education; or |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) support student interventions at participating |
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| 26 | 26 | | eligible institutions that are focused on increasing completion of |
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| 27 | 27 | | degrees or certificates, such as interventions occurring through |
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| 28 | 28 | | advising or supplemental instruction. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (c) To participate in the work-study student mentorship |
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| 30 | 30 | | program under Subsection (b)(1) or (2), an eligible institution and |
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| 31 | 31 | | one or more school districts or nonprofit organizations interested |
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| 32 | 32 | | in jointly participating in the program shall file with the |
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| 33 | 33 | | coordinating board a joint memorandum of understanding detailing |
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| 34 | 34 | | the roles and responsibilities of the participating entities. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (d) The coordinating board shall develop, when applicable |
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| 36 | 36 | | and in consultation with eligible institutions, school districts, |
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| 37 | 37 | | and nonprofit organizations that express interest in participating |
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| 38 | 38 | | in the work-study student mentorship program, [shall develop] a |
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| 39 | 39 | | standard contract establishing the roles and responsibilities of |
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| 40 | 40 | | participating entities to be used as a model for a memorandum of |
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| 41 | 41 | | understanding entered into by participating entities under |
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| 42 | 42 | | Subsection (c). |
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| 43 | 43 | | (e) The coordinating board: |
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| 44 | 44 | | (1) shall establish criteria to ensure that the |
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| 45 | 45 | | participating eligible institution's contribution toward the wages |
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| 46 | 46 | | and benefits of a student employed [as a mentor] under the |
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| 47 | 47 | | work-study student mentorship program as provided by Subsection |
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| 48 | 48 | | (b)(1) or (2) is matched by funds provided by the participating |
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| 49 | 49 | | entity benefiting from the services of the employed student in an |
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| 50 | 50 | | amount that is at least equal to the amount of the participating |
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| 51 | 51 | | eligible institution's contribution; |
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| 52 | 52 | | (2) may accept appropriate in-kind contributions from |
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| 53 | 53 | | participating nonprofit organizations to satisfy the matching |
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| 54 | 54 | | funds requirement of this subsection; and |
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| 55 | 55 | | (3) may waive the matching funds requirement of this |
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| 56 | 56 | | subsection for a participating entity that meets criteria |
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| 57 | 57 | | established by the coordinating board for a waiver. |
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| 58 | 58 | | (f) The coordinating board may [shall] partner with |
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| 59 | 59 | | participating nonprofit organizations to establish additional GO |
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| 60 | 60 | | Centers or similar high school-based recruiting centers designed to |
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| 61 | 61 | | improve student access to and success in higher education in this |
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| 62 | 62 | | state. |
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| 63 | 63 | | (i) An eligible institution participating in the work-study |
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| 64 | 64 | | student mentorship program under this section may require students |
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| 65 | 65 | | who are on academic probation at the institution to be matched with |
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| 66 | 66 | | a student mentor or advisor employed under the program. |
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| 67 | 67 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 68 | 68 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 69 | 69 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 70 | 70 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 71 | 71 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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