Texas 2021 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1132 Introduced / Bill

Filed 01/14/2021

                    87R5276 KJE-D
 By: Oliverson H.B. No. 1132


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the information maintained by the Texas Education
 Agency regarding postsecondary education and career opportunities.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 7.040, Education Code, is amended by
 amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
 follows:
 (a)  The agency shall prepare information comparing
 institutions of higher education in this state and post the
 information on the agency's Internet website. Information prepared
 under this section shall be given to a public school student who
 requests the information. The information shall:
 (1)  identify postsecondary education and career
 opportunities, including information that states the benefits of
 four-year and two-year higher education programs, postsecondary
 technical education, skilled workforce careers, and career
 education programs;
 (2)  compare each institution of higher education with
 other institutions, both overall and disaggregated by
 baccalaureate or associate degree or certificate program,
 regarding:
 (A)  the relative cost of tuition;
 (B)  the retention rate of students;
 (C)  the graduation rate of students;
 (D)  the median [average] student debt, based on
 the most recent data released through the United States Department
 of Education's College Scorecard online tool or a successor tool;
 (E)  the loan repayment rate of students; [and]
 (F)  the employment rate of students; and
 (G)  the median earnings of students, expressed as
 a yearly amount and as a percentage of student debt, at the first,
 fifth, and tenth year after graduation, based on the most recent
 data released through the United States Department of Education's
 College Scorecard online tool or a successor tool;
 (3)  identify the state's future workforce needs, as
 projected by the Texas Workforce Commission; and
 (4)  include annual wage information for the top 10
 highest demand jobs in this state, as identified by the Texas
 Workforce Commission.
 (a-1)  The information required under Subsections (a)(2)(D)
 and (G) must be updated each time new data described by those
 paragraphs is released through the United States Department of
 Education's College Scorecard online tool or a successor tool.
 SECTION 2.  (a) As soon as practicable after the effective
 date of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall update the
 information required under Section 7.040(a), Education Code, as
 amended by this Act.
 (b)  As soon as practicable after the Texas Education Agency
 completes the update required by Subsection (a) of this section,
 the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall update the
 comparative gainful employment data regarding public institutions
 of higher education required to be maintained by the board under
 Sections 51.762(b-1) and 51.763(b), Education Code, to include the
 information required under Section 7.040(a), Education Code, as
 amended by this Act.
 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, 2021.