Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2554 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Gates, et al. H.B. No. 2554
2		-	(Senate Sponsor - Schwertner, et al.)
3		-	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 17, 2021;
4		-	May 17, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on
5		-	Education; May 24, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:
6		-	Yeas 7, Nays 2; May 24, 2021, sent to printer.)
7		-	Click here to see the committee vote
	1	+	87R20128 GCB-F
	2	+	By: Gates, Burrows, Allen, Lucio III, Harris, H.B. No. 2554
	3	+	et al.
8	4
9	5
10	6		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	7		AN ACT
12	8		relating to the operation by a school district of a vocational
13	9		education program to provide eligible high school students with
14	10		vocational and educational training under a plan for the issuance
15	11		of a high school diploma and the application of certain
16	12		student-based allotments under the public school finance system.
17	13		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
18	14		ARTICLE 1. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
19	15		SECTION 1.01. Subtitle F, Title 2, Education Code, is
20	16		amended by adding Chapter 30B to read as follows:
21	17		CHAPTER 30B. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
22	18		Sec. 30B.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "board" means
23	19		the State Board of Education.
24	20		Sec. 30B.002. PURPOSE. The purpose of a vocational
25	21		education program operated under this chapter and authorized as a
26	22		campus or campus program under a charter granted under Subchapter
27	23		C, Chapter 12, is to provide public education to high school
28	24		students whose educational needs are better served by focused
29	25		vocational education and training.
30	26		Sec. 30B.003. VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM. (a) Each
31	27		vocational education program granted a charter under Subchapter C,
32	28		Chapter 12, and operating under this chapter shall offer students
33	29		who reside in the district a program that is aligned with:
34	30		(1) industry-recognized credentials and certificates
35	31		included in the inventory required by Section 29.189; or
36	32		(2) industry-defined and industry-recognized skill
37	33		standards developed under Section 2308.109, Government Code.
38	34		(b) The board shall establish minimum curriculum
39	35		requirements for a vocational education program operated under this
40	36		chapter. In providing curriculum requirements, the board shall
41	37		require the successful completion of not more than 24 credits for
42	38		graduation and the issuance of a diploma under Section 30B.004. Not
43	39		less than 10 credits of the minimum curriculum requirements must be
44	40		credits earned in vocational education courses offered under the
45	41		program.
46	42		(c) A vocational education program may require the
47	43		completion of additional credits that are not included in the
48	44		minimum curriculum requirements established by the board, as
49	45		requirements for graduation and the issuance of a diploma under
50	46		Section 30B.004 provided that the program does not require the
51	47		successful completion of more than 24 credits.
52	48		(d) In providing the minimum curriculum requirements under
53	49		Subsection (b), the board shall require:
54	50		(1) one-half credit in a course that provides
55	51		instruction in the basic knowledge and skills necessary to:
56	52		(A) successfully run an independent business;
57	53		and
58	54		(B) develop entrepreneurship;
59	55		(2) one-half credit in a course providing instruction
60	56		regarding the relationship between business and government; and
61	57		(3) one-half credit in a course in industrial arts.
62	58		(e) The board by rule may provide curriculum standards for
63	59		the courses described by Subsection (d).
64	60		(f) The board by rule shall allow for a student to satisfy
65	61		the one-half credit requirement for a course described by:
66	62		(1) Subsection (d)(2) by earning one-half credit for a
67	63		course in government offered under the foundation high school
68	64		program; and
69	65		(2) Subsection (d)(3) by earning one-half credit for a
70	66		course in fine arts offered under the foundation high school
71	67		program.
72	68		(g) The board by rule may require that one or more courses
73	69		described by Subsection (d) or (f) provide basic instruction in
74	70		technical writing.
75	71		(h) In offering a vocational education program under this
76	72		chapter, a school district may form partnerships between the
77	73		district and public junior colleges, public technical institutes,
78	74		public state colleges, and any other public postsecondary
79	75		institutions in this state offering academic or technical education
80	76		or vocational training under a certificate program or an associate
81	77		degree program.
82	78		(i) A school district may use state funding received under
83	79		Chapter 48 that is available for the purpose to pay tuition costs
84	80		for district students enrolled in the district's vocational
85	81		education program and receiving academic or technical education or
86	82		vocational training from a college or institution under a
87	83		partnership entered into under Subsection (h).
88	84		Sec. 30B.004. VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
89	85		Notwithstanding any other law, agency rule, or school district
90	86		policy, a student who successfully completes the course
91	87		requirements for a district's vocational education program is
92	88		entitled to receive a high school diploma from the district in
93	89		accordance with commissioner rules concerning high school
94	90		graduation requirements for students obtaining a high school
95	91		diploma under a district's vocational education program.
96	92		Sec. 30B.005. ENROLLMENT ELIGIBILITY. A student is
97	93		eligible to enroll in a school district's vocational education
98	94		program if:
99	95		(1) the district has received the form indicating
100	96		informed consent for the student under Section 30B.006; and
101	97		(2) the student attends a high school campus of the
102	98		district and has completed the student's 10th grade year.
103	99		Sec. 30B.006. INFORMED CONSENT. (a) Before a student may
104	100		enroll in a school district's vocational education program, the
105	101		student and the student's parent, guardian, or other person
106	102		standing in parental relation to the student must be advised by a
107	103		school counselor concerning:
108	104		(1) specific benefits of graduating under the
109	105		foundation high school program established under Section 28.025;
110	106		(2) specific benefits of graduating under a vocational
111	107		education program with a diploma and earning industry-recognized
112	108		credentials through the program;
113	109		(3) the differences between the curriculum
114	110		requirements for obtaining a diploma under a vocational education
115	111		program and the curriculum requirements for obtaining a diploma
116	112		under the foundation high school program, including specific
117	113		foundation high school program courses that will be replaced by
118	114		vocational education program courses; and
119	115		(4) the number of additional credits that may be
120	116		required to graduate under the foundation high school program if
121	117		the student chooses to cease participation in a vocational
122	118		education program and resume participation in the foundation high
123	119		school program.
124	120		(b) After receiving the required counseling described by
125	121		Subsection (a), the student's parent, guardian, or other person
126	122		standing in parental relation to the student may provide written
127	123		permission for the student to enroll in the school district's
128	124		vocational education program, on a form adopted by the agency, to
129	125		the school counselor.
130	126		Sec. 30B.007. ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS. (a) A school
131	127		district may adopt and administer assessment instruments necessary
132	128		for a student enrolled in the district's vocational education
133	129		program to earn an industry-recognized license, credential, or
134	130		certificate.
135	131		(b) Notwithstanding any other law, the commissioner may not
136	132		require that a student enrolled in a district's vocational
137	133		education program be administered an assessment instrument under
138	134		Section 39.023 that is not required to be administered to the
139	135		student under federal law.
140	136		(c) The commissioner may not waive the application of
141	137		Subsection (b) under Section 7.056 or any other law. This
142	138		subsection does not prohibit the commissioner from waiving the
143	139		administration of assessment instruments otherwise required to be
144	140		administered to students under federal law, in accordance with
145	141		waiver authority granted to the commissioner by the United States
146	142		Department of Education.
147	143		Sec. 30B.008. EXAM SUBSIDY. A student enrolled in a school
148	144		district's vocational education program is entitled to an exam
149	145		subsidy for an exam administered under Section 30B.007 that
150	146		qualifies the student for an industry-recognized license,
151	147		credential, or certificate.
152	148		Sec. 30B.009. ACHIEVEMENT INDICATORS. (a) The
153	149		commissioner shall adopt a set of achievement indicators for school
154	150		district students enrolled in a district's vocational education
155	151		program based on recommendations provided by the Texas Workforce
156	152		Investment Council.
157	153		(b) The achievement indicators adopted by the commissioner
158	154		must measure outcomes for a school district's vocational education
159	155		program with respect to:
160	156		(1) preparing students for success in:
161	157		(A) achieving industry-recognized licenses,
162	158		credentials, and certificates;
163	159		(B) training in postsecondary occupational
164	160		programs; and
165	161		(C) entering the workforce;
166	162		(2) reducing outcome differentials among students
167	163		from different racial and ethnic groups and socioeconomic
168	164		backgrounds; and
169	165		(3) informing parents and employers regarding the
170	166		performance of school district vocational education programs and
171	167		students who enroll in those programs.
172	168		(c) Each school district that operates a vocational
173	169		education program under this chapter shall submit to the
174	170		commissioner all relevant information the commissioner determines
175	171		necessary to evaluate the district's vocational education program
176	172		based on the achievement indicators adopted under this section.
177	173		(d) The commissioner shall annually publish a report on the
178	174		performance of vocational education programs operated under this
179	175		chapter based on the achievement indicators.
180	176		Sec. 30B.010. MINIMUM INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATIONS. (a) A
181	177		person employed by a school district as a vocational education
182	178		instructor of a district's vocational education program must have
183	179		demonstrated subject matter expertise related to the subject
184	180		taught, including:
185	181		(1) professional work experience;
186	182		(2) formal training and education;
187	183		(3) holding a relevant, active, industry-recognized
188	184		license, credential, or certificate; or
189	185		(4) any combination of Subdivisions (1), (2), and (3).
190	186		(b) A person employed by a school district as a vocational
191	187		education instructor of a district's vocational education program
192	188		must have received at least 20 hours of classroom management
193	189		training as determined by the board of trustees of the district.
194	190		Sec. 30B.011. MEMBERSHIP IN TEACHER RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF
195	191		TEXAS. A school district employee who provides services under the
196	192		district's vocational education program and qualifies for
197	193		membership in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas shall be
198	194		covered under the system to the same extent another qualified
199	195		employee of a school district is covered.
200	196		Sec. 30B.012. BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS. (a) A
201	197		school district operating a vocational education program under this
202	198		chapter may partner with private sector businesses to ensure
203	199		students have sufficient opportunities to participate in
204	200		apprenticeship training programs and other workplace-based
205	201		education.
206	202		(b) A school district may sponsor apprenticeship training
207	203		programs under Chapter 133 for students enrolled in the district's
208	204		vocational education program.
209	205		Sec. 30B.013. LIMITATION ON CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
210	206		ALLOTMENT. For each student enrolled in a school district's
211	207		vocational education program, the district's entitlement to the
212	208		career and technology education allotment under Section 48.106 is
213	209		limited to the amount determined by the commissioner in accordance
214	210		with Subsection (a-1) of that section.
215	211		ARTICLE 2. OPERATION OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM AS CAMPUS OR
216	212		CAMPUS PROGRAM CHARTER
217	213		SECTION 2.01. Section 12.056, Education Code, is amended by
218	214		adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
219	215		(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), requirements related to
220	216		high school graduation under Section 28.025 do not apply to the
221	217		issuance of a diploma under a vocational education program under
222	218		Chapter 30B operated as a campus or campus program under a charter
223	219		granted under this subchapter if the program is administered in
224	220		accordance with Chapter 30B and any applicable rules adopted by the
225	221		State Board of Education under that chapter.
226	222		SECTION 2.02. Section 28.016(b), Education Code, is amended
227	223		to read as follows:
228	224		(b) The instruction must include information regarding:
229	225		(1) the creation of a high school personal graduation
230	226		plan under Section 28.02121;
231	227		(2) the distinguished level of achievement described
232	228		by Section 28.025(b-15);
233	229		(3) each endorsement described by Section
234	230		28.025(c-1);
235	231		(4) college readiness standards; [and]
236	232		(5) potential career choices and the education needed
237	233		to enter those careers; and
238	234		(6) programs of study offered through a vocational
239	235		education program under Chapter 30B operated as a campus or campus
240	236		program under a charter granted under Subchapter C, Chapter 12.
241	237		SECTION 2.03. Section 29.182(b), Education Code, is amended
242	238		to read as follows:
243	239		(b) The state plan must include procedures designed to
244	240		ensure that:
245	241		(1) all secondary and postsecondary students have the
246	242		opportunity to participate in career and technology education
247	243		programs;
248	244		(2) the state complies with requirements for
249	245		supplemental federal career and technology education funding;
250	246		(3) career and technology education is established as
251	247		a part of the total education system of this state and constitutes
252	248		an option for student learning that provides a rigorous course of
253	249		study consistent with the required curriculum under Section 28.002
254	250		and under which a student may receive specific education in a career
255	251		and technology program that:
256	252		(A) incorporates competencies leading to
257	253		academic and technical skill attainment;
258	254		(B) leads to:
259	255		(i) an industry-recognized license,
260	256		credential, or certificate; or
261	257		(ii) at the postsecondary level, an
262	258		associate or baccalaureate degree;
263	259		(C) includes opportunities for students to earn
264	260		college credit for coursework; [and]
265	261		(D) includes, as an integral part of the program,
266	262		participation by students and teachers in activities of career and
267	263		technical student organizations supported by the agency and the
268	264		State Board of Education; and
269	265		(E) includes the opportunity for students to
270	266		participate in focused vocational education through a vocational
271	267		education program under Chapter 30B operated as a campus or campus
272	268		program under a charter granted under Subchapter C, Chapter 12; and
273	269		(4) a school district provides, to the greatest extent
274	270		possible, to a student participating in a career and technology
275	271		education program opportunities to enroll in dual credit courses
276	272		designed to lead to a degree, license, or certification as part of
277	273		the program.
278	274		ARTICLE 3. APPLICATION OF CERTAIN STUDENT-BASED ALLOTMENTS
279	275		REGARDING VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM STUDENTS
280	276		SECTION 3.01. Section 48.106, Education Code, is amended by
281	277		amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
282	278		follows:
283	279		(a) Subject to Subsection (a-1), for [For] each full-time
284	280		equivalent student in average daily attendance in an approved
285	281		career and technology education program in grades 7 through 12, a
286	282		district is entitled to:
287	283		(1) an annual allotment equal to the basic allotment
288	284		multiplied by a weight of 1.35; and
289	285		(2) $50 for each of the following in which the student
290	286		is enrolled:
291	287		(A) two or more advanced career and technology
292	288		education classes for a total of three or more credits;
293	289		(B) a campus designated as a P-TECH school under
294	290		Section 29.556; or
295	291		(C) a campus that is a member of the New Tech
296	292		Network and that focuses on project-based learning and work-based
297	293		education.
298	294		(a-1) For each full-time equivalent student in average
299	295		daily attendance in a vocational education program operated under
300	296		Chapter 30B and authorized as a campus or campus program under a
301	297		charter granted under Subchapter C, Chapter 12, only the first 10
302	298		hours of instructional hours provided to those students under the
303	299		program each week qualify toward the district's entitlement to the
304	300		allotment under Subsection (a)(1), and the commissioner shall
305	301		proportionately reduce the amount of the entitlement accordingly to
306	302		an amount that reflects the limitation on qualified instructional
307	303		hours per week using a method adopted by the commissioner.
308	304		SECTION 3.02. Sections 48.110(f) and (h), Education Code,
309	305		are amended to read as follows:
310	306		(f) For purposes of this section, an annual graduate
311	307		demonstrates:
312	308		(1) college readiness if the annual graduate:
313	309		(A) achieves college readiness standards used
314	310		for accountability purposes under Chapter 39 on the ACT, the SAT, or
315	311		an assessment instrument designated by the Texas Higher Education
316	312		Coordinating Board under Section 51.334; and
317	313		(B) during a time period established by
318	314		commissioner rule, enrolls at a postsecondary educational
319	315		institution;
320	316		(2) career readiness if:
321	317		(A) the annual graduate:
322	318		(i) [(A)] achieves college readiness
323	319		standards used for accountability purposes under Chapter 39 on the
324	320		ACT, the SAT, or an assessment instrument designated by the Texas
325	321		Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334; and
326	322		(ii) [(B)] during a time period established
327	323		by commissioner rule, earns an industry-accepted certificate; or
328	324		(B) the annual graduate earns an
329	325		industry-recognized license, credential, or certificate under a
330	326		vocational education program under Chapter 30B; and
331	327		(3) military readiness if the annual graduate:
332	328		(A) achieves a passing score set by the
333	329		applicable military branch on the Armed Services Vocational
334	330		Aptitude Battery; and
335	331		(B) during a time period established by
336	332		commissioner rule, enlists in the armed forces of the United
337	333		States.
338	334		(h) On application by a school district, the commissioner
339	335		may allow annual graduates from the district to satisfy the
340	336		requirement for demonstrating career readiness under Subsection
341	337		(f)(2)(A)(ii) [(f)(2)(B)] by successfully completing a coherent
342	338		sequence of courses required to obtain an industry-accepted
343	339		certificate. The district must demonstrate in the application that
344	340		the district is unable to provide sufficient courses or programs to
345	341		enable students enrolled at the district to earn an
346	342		industry-accepted certificate within the time period established
347	343		by the commissioner under Subsection (f)(2)(A)(ii) [(f)(2)(B)].
348	344		The commissioner by rule shall provide the criteria required for an
349	345		application under this subsection.
350	346		ARTICLE 4. TRANSITION; EFFECTIVE DATE
351	347		SECTION 4.01. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022
352	348		school year.
353	349		SECTION 4.02. This Act takes effect immediately if it
354	350		receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
355	351		house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
356	352		If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
357	353		effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
358		-	* * * * *