Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2030 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Turner of Tarrant, et al. H.B. No. 2030
2		-	(Senate Sponsor - West, Powell)
3		-	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021;
4		-	May 14, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
5		-	Education; May 21, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable
6		-	Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0;
7		-	May 21, 2021, sent to printer.)
8		-	Click here to see the committee vote
9		-	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2030 By: West
	1	+	87R15903 KJE-D
	2	+	By: Turner of Tarrant, Button, et al. H.B. No. 2030
10	3
11	4
12	5		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
13	6		AN ACT
14	7		relating to the establishment by the Texas Higher Education
15	8		Coordinating Board of a grant program for regional postsecondary
16	9		education collaboratives.
17	10		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
18	11		SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
19	12		Subchapter W to read as follows:
20	13		SUBCHAPTER W. REGIONAL POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
21	14		COLLABORATIVES GRANT PROGRAM
22	15		Sec. 61.931. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
23	16		(1) "Low-income student" means a student who is
24	17		eligible to receive a grant under the federal Pell Grant program or
25	18		has equivalent need, as determined by board rule.
26	19		(2) "Regional postsecondary education collaborative"
27	20		means a partnership or other collaboration between stakeholders in
28	21		education that is focused on improving postsecondary educational
29	22		outcomes in a region of the state.
30	23		Sec. 61.932. GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The board shall establish
31	24		and administer a competitive grant program under which the board
32	25		awards grants to eligible regional postsecondary education
33	26		collaboratives to improve postsecondary educational outcomes for
34	27		low-income students in the state.
35	28		(b) In awarding grants under the program, the board shall
36	29		give priority to eligible regional postsecondary education
37	30		collaboratives that:
38	31		(1) focus on supporting low-income students; or
39	32		(2) have a demonstrated connection to targeted
40	33		workforce fields, as determined by the board.
41	34		Sec. 61.933. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive a grant
42	35		under this subchapter, a regional postsecondary education
43	36		collaborative must:
44	37		(1) include at least one school district and public
45	38		junior college;
46	39		(2) raise a minimum amount of funding from other
47	40		sources for the collaborative's costs, as established by board
48	41		rule;
49	42		(3) develop and submit to the board a plan detailing
50	43		how the collaborative would use grant funds awarded under this
51	44		subchapter in a manner permitted under Section 61.935;
52	45		(4) build partnerships committed to changing
53	46		postsecondary education systems and improving postsecondary
54	47		educational outcomes through the use of data, mutual
55	48		accountability, and engagement between a student and the student's
56	49		community;
57	50		(5) measure the collaborative's success by achievement
58	51		of increasing postsecondary enrollment and completion at any
59	52		institution of higher education or private or independent
60	53		institution of higher education and career entry for all students
61	54		the collaborative assists;
62	55		(6) provide personalized outreach to students and
63	56		parents or caregivers;
64	57		(7) provide proactive, holistic supports to assist
65	58		students in postsecondary persistence and completion and in
66	59		connecting with employers; and
67	60		(8) satisfy any additional requirements established
68	61		by board rule.
69	62		Sec. 61.934. GRANT AMOUNT. (a) A grant awarded to an
70	63		eligible regional postsecondary education collaborative under the
71	64		program must be made for a period sufficient to cover the enrollment
72	65		in, persistence in, and timely completion of a certificate or
73	66		degree program for two consecutive cohorts of students.
74	67		(b) Each grant consists of, for each cohort:
75	68		(1) an initial amount at the beginning of the first
76	69		academic year for which the grant is awarded equal to $1,000 for
77	70		each low-income student who:
78	71		(A) graduated in the preceding school year from a
79	72		high school participating in the collaborative; and
80	73		(B) enrolls at an institution of higher education
81	74		or a private or independent institution of higher education for
82	75		that academic year; and
83	76		(2) at the end of each academic year for which the
84	77		grant is awarded, a bonus for each student described by Subdivision
85	78		(1) who:
86	79		(A) persists, as determined by board rule, at an
87	80		institution of higher education or a private or independent
88	81		institution of higher education; or
89	82		(B) timely completes a certificate or degree
90	83		program, as determined by board rule, at an institution of higher
91	84		education or a private or independent institution of higher
92	85		education.
93	86		(c) Subject to Subsection (e), the bonus per student under
94	87		Subsection (b)(2)(A) is an amount equal to $25 million divided by
95	88		the total number of students who qualify for the bonus.
96	89		(d) Subject to Subsection (e), the bonus per student under
97	90		Subsection (b)(2)(B) is an amount equal to $20 million divided by
98	91		the total number of students who qualify for the bonus.
99	92		(e) The amount of a bonus under Subsection (b)(2)(A) or (B)
100	93		may not exceed $2,000 per student.
101		-	Sec. 61.935. GRANT USE. (a~~) Subject~~ to ~~Subsection (b), a~~
102		-	~~grant awarded to an eligible~~ regional postsecondary education
103		-	~~collaborative under this~~ subchapter may be used only for:
	94	+	Sec. 61.935. GRANT USE. A grant awarded to an eligible
	95	+	regional postsecondary education collaborative under this
	96	+	subchapter may be used only for:
104	97		(1) staff support for the collaborative;
105	98		(2) student services designed to increase
106	99		postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion;
107	100		(3) student financial assistance;
108	101		(4) programs that provide training for jobs in
109	102		targeted workforce fields, as determined by the board; and
110	103		(5) other expenses approved by the board.
111		-	(b) A grant awarded under this subchapter may not be used to
112		-	pay for a student's tuition at an institution of higher education or
113		-	a private or independent institution of higher education.
114	104		Sec. 61.936. REPORTING. (a) Each regional postsecondary
115	105		education collaborative that receives a grant under this subchapter
116	106		shall collect and report to the board information regarding
117	107		postsecondary enrollment, persistence, and completion,
118	108		disaggregated by category and semester or term, as required by the
119	109		board to assist the board in fulfilling its duties under this
120	110		subchapter.
121	111		(b) Not later than December 1 of each year, the board shall
122	112		submit to the legislature a report on the effectiveness of the grant
123	113		program established under this subchapter and any recommendations
124	114		for legislative or other action.
125	115		Sec. 61.937. RULES. The board may adopt rules as necessary
126	116		to implement this subchapter.
127	117		Sec. 61.938. FEDERAL FUNDING CONTINGENCY. The board is
128	118		required to implement the grant program established under this
129	119		subchapter only if federal funding is provided to the board for that
130	120		purpose as part of any federal coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
131	121		relief spending appropriated on or after January 1, 2021. If such
132	122		funding is not provided for that purpose, the board may, but is not
133	123		required to, implement the grant program using other money
134	124		available to the board for that purpose.
135		-	Sec. 61.939. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires October
136		-	1, 2024.
137	125		SECTION 2. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
138	126		Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter W, Chapter 61,
139	127		Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
140	128		the effective date of this Act.
141	129		(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
142	130		begin awarding grants under Subchapter W, Chapter 61, Education
143	131		Code, as added by this Act, for the first academic year for which
144	132		federal funding is appropriated for that purpose.
145	133		SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
146	134		a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
147	135		provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
148	136		Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
149	137		Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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