Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4363 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.B. No. 4363
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the establishment of the Future Texas Teachers
6	6	Scholarship Program for certain students at public institutions of
7	7	higher education.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Chapter 56, Education Code, is amended by adding
10	10	Subchapter S to read as follows:
11	11	SUBCHAPTER S. FUTURE TEXAS TEACHERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
12	12	Sec. 56.501. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
13	13	(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
14	14	Education Coordinating Board.
15	15	(2) "Eligible institution" means a general academic
16	16	teaching institution or a private or independent institution of
17	17	higher education, as those terms are defined by Section 61.003,
18	18	that operates an eligible educator preparation program.
19	19	(3) "Enrolled full-time" means enrolled for at least
20	20	12 semester credit hours or participating in a clinical teaching
21	21	assignment or internship that meets criteria established by State
22	22	Board for Educator Certification rule for initial certification as
23	23	a classroom teacher.
24	24	(4) "Scholarship program" means the Future Texas
25	25	Teachers Scholarship Program authorized by this subchapter.
26	26	Sec. 56.502. PURPOSE. The Future Texas Teachers
27	27	Scholarship Program is created to recruit, prepare, and retain a
28	28	talented and diverse workforce of career teachers to be leaders in
29	29	their field and to provide assistance for tuition, mandatory fees,
30	30	and other usual and customary costs of attendance at an eligible
31	31	institution as provided by Sections 56.506 and 56.507.
32	32	Sec. 56.503. ELIGIBLE EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS. To be
33	33	eligible to participate in the scholarship program, an educator
34	34	preparation program must:
35	35	(1) be operated by an eligible institution;
36	36	(2) provide a structured system of support to assist
37	37	scholarship recipients to successfully complete the educator
38	38	preparation program;
39	39	(3) require additional hours of field-based
40	40	experience for students above the minimum hours required by State
41	41	Board for Educator Certification rule;
42	42	(4) require additional hours of clinical teaching
43	43	experience for students above the minimum hours required by State
44	44	Board for Educator Certification rule;
45	45	(5) provide or facilitate opportunities for
46	46	scholarship recipients to participate in learning opportunities
47	47	beyond the university classroom setting; and
48	48	(6) comply with other eligibility criteria
49	49	established by coordinating board rule.
50	50	Sec. 56.504. INITIAL STUDENT ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP.
51	51	(a) To be eligible initially for a scholarship under the
52	52	scholarship program, a person must:
53	53	(1) be a Texas resident under Section 54.052;
54	54	(2) either:
55	55	(A) be enrolled full-time in an eligible
56	56	institution; or
57	57	(B) have applied for admission to an eligible
58	58	institution and enroll full-time in that institution in the
59	59	academic year immediately following the person's application;
60	60	(3) once enrolled full-time in an eligible
61	61	institution, be working toward a baccalaureate or master's degree
62	62	and on track to be admitted to an eligible educator preparation
63	63	program, as verified by the eligible institution operating the
64	64	educator preparation program;
65	65	(4) demonstrate a commitment to pursuing a career as a
66	66	classroom teacher in a public school in this state:
67	67	(A) in a teaching field identified by the
68	68	commissioner of education as experiencing a critical shortage of
69	69	teachers in this state; or
70	70	(B) in a public school in this state in which a
71	71	majority of students enrolled are educationally disadvantaged;
72	72	(5) comply with Section 28.0256;
73	73	(6) complete a criminal history background check from:
74	74	(A) any law enforcement or criminal justice
75	75	agency; or
76	76	(B) a private entity that is a consumer reporting
77	77	agency governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. Section
78	78	1681 et seq.);
79	79	(7) provide the educator preparation program with the
80	80	completed background check report and any supplemental
81	81	documentation the program may request to evaluate the background
82	82	check report for the purposes of this section; and
83	83	(8) comply with any other academic or nonacademic
84	84	requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this
85	85	subchapter.
86	86	(b) A person is not eligible to receive a scholarship under
87	87	the scholarship program if the person has been convicted of a felony
88	88	or misdemeanor offense relating to the duties and responsibilities
89	89	of the education profession, including:
90	90	(1) an offense involving moral turpitude;
91	91	(2) an offense involving a form of sexual or physical
92	92	abuse of a minor or student or other illegal conduct in which the
93	93	victim is a minor or student;
94	94	(3) a felony offense involving the possession,
95	95	transfer, sale, or distribution of or conspiracy to possess,
96	96	transfer, sell, or distribute a controlled substance, as defined by
97	97	Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, or by 21 U.S.C. Section 801 et
98	98	seq.;
99	99	(4) an offense involving the illegal transfer,
100	100	appropriation, or use of school district funds or other district
101	101	property; or
102	102	(5) an offense involving an attempt by fraudulent or
103	103	unauthorized means to obtain or alter a professional certificate or
104	104	license issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 21.
105	105	(c) An educator preparation program shall review the
106	106	background check documentation provided under Subsection (a)(7)
107	107	for the purposes of making a determination under Subsection (b).
108	108	Sec. 56.505. CONTINUING STUDENT ELIGIBILITY AND ACADEMIC
109	109	PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS. (a) After initially qualifying for a
110	110	scholarship under this subchapter, a person may continue to receive
111	111	a scholarship under the scholarship program during each semester or
112	112	term in which the person is enrolled at an eligible institution only
113	113	if the person:
114	114	(1) demonstrates a continued commitment to pursuing a
115	115	career as a classroom teacher:
116	116	(A) in a teaching field identified by the
117	117	commissioner of education as experiencing a critical shortage of
118	118	teachers in this state; or
119	119	(B) in a public school in this state in which a
120	120	majority of students enrolled are educationally disadvantaged;
121	121	(2) remains enrolled full-time in an eligible
122	122	institution;
123	123	(3) remains enrolled in or is on track to be admitted
124	124	to an eligible educator preparation program, as verified by the
125	125	eligible institution in which the person is enrolled;
126	126	(4) makes satisfactory academic progress toward
127	127	completion of a baccalaureate or master's degree and approval to
128	128	take a teacher certification exam, as verified by the eligible
129	129	institution; and
130	130	(5) complies with any other academic or nonacademic
131	131	requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this
132	132	subchapter.
133	133	(b) A person is not eligible to continue to receive a
134	134	scholarship under the scholarship program if the person has been
135	135	convicted of a felony or misdemeanor offense described by Section
136	136	56.504(b).
137	137	(c) If a person fails to meet any of the requirements of
138	138	Subsection (a) after the completion of any semester or term, the
139	139	person may not receive a scholarship under this subchapter during
140	140	the next semester or term in which the person enrolls. A person may
141	141	become eligible to receive a scholarship under this subchapter in a
142	142	subsequent semester or term if the person:
143	143	(1) completes a semester or term during which the
144	144	person is not eligible for a scholarship; and
145	145	(2) meets all the requirements of Subsection (a).
146	146	(d) For the purpose of this section, a person makes
147	147	satisfactory academic progress toward a baccalaureate or master's
148	148	degree only if:
149	149	(1) in the person's first academic year the person
150	150	meets the satisfactory academic progress requirements of the
151	151	eligible institution in which the person is enrolled; and
152	152	(2) in a subsequent academic year, the person:
153	153	(A) completes at least 75 percent of the semester
154	154	credit hours attempted in the person's most recent academic year;
155	155	and
156	156	(B) has earned an overall grade point average of
157	157	at least 3.0 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on coursework
158	158	previously attempted at an eligible institution.
159	159	(e) A person who is eligible to receive a scholarship under
160	160	this subchapter continues to remain eligible to receive the
161	161	scholarship if the person enrolls in or transfers to an eligible
162	162	educator preparation program at another eligible institution.
163	163	(f) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to allow a
164	164	person who is otherwise eligible to receive a scholarship under
165	165	this subchapter, in the event of a hardship or for other good cause
166	166	shown, including a showing of a severe illness or other
167	167	debilitating condition that may affect the person's academic
168	168	performance or that the person is responsible for the care of a
169	169	sick, injured, or needy person and that the person's provision of
170	170	care may affect the person's academic performance, to receive a
171	171	scholarship under this subchapter:
172	172	(1) while enrolled in a number of semester credit
173	173	hours that is less than the number required to be enrolled
174	174	full-time; or
175	175	(2) if the person's grade point average or completion
176	176	rate falls below the satisfactory academic progress requirements of
177	177	Subsection (d).
178	178	(g) A person's eligibility for a scholarship under this
179	179	subchapter ends on the earlier of:
180	180	(1) the fourth anniversary of the initial award of a
181	181	scholarship under this subchapter to the person and the person's
182	182	enrollment in an eligible institution; or
183	183	(2) the person's completion of the baccalaureate or
184	184	master's degree program described by Section 56.504(a)(3).
185	185	Sec. 56.506. SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT. (a) Beginning with the
186	186	2024-2025 academic year, the amount of a scholarship under this
187	187	subchapter is equal to the amount of the scholarship for the
188	188	preceding academic year, adjusted for inflation using the college
189	189	tuition and fees index component of the consumer price index
190	190	produced by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
191	191	(a-1) For the 2023-2024 academic year, the amount of a
192	192	scholarship under this subchapter is $12,000. This subsection
193	193	expires September 1, 2024.
194	194	(b) The amount of a scholarship under this subchapter may
195	195	not be reduced by any other scholarship, grant, or financial aid
196	196	which the scholarship recipient receives.
197	197	(c) Not later than January 31 of each year, the coordinating
198	198	board shall publish the amounts of each scholarship established by
199	199	the board for the academic year beginning the next fall semester.
200	200	Sec. 56.507. SCHOLARSHIP USE. A person receiving a
201	201	scholarship under this subchapter may use the money to pay any usual
202	202	and customary cost of attendance at an eligible institution
203	203	incurred by the person. The institution may disburse all or part of
204	204	the proceeds of a scholarship under this subchapter to an eligible
205	205	person only if the tuition and required fees incurred by the person
206	206	at the institution have been paid.
207	207	Sec. 56.508. ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. (a) The
208	208	coordinating board shall adopt any rules necessary to:
209	209	(1) establish eligibility criteria for educator
210	210	preparation programs in accordance with Section 56.503 and for
211	211	scholarship recipients in accordance with Sections 56.504 and
212	212	56.505;
213	213	(2) establish procedures for the application process
214	214	and for selecting scholarship recipients from among eligible
215	215	applicants; and
216	216	(3) administer the scholarship program.
217	217	(b) In establishing criteria for eligible educator
218	218	preparation programs under Section 56.503, the coordinating board
219	219	shall consult with the State Board for Educator Certification. The
220	220	coordinating board shall consider the standards used by the State
221	221	Board for Educator Certification in identifying effective,
222	222	high-quality educator preparation programs grounded in
223	223	evidence-based best practices and, to the maximum extent possible,
224	224	align the eligibility criteria to those standards.
225	225	(c) In establishing criteria for eligible persons under
226	226	Sections 56.504 and 56.505, the coordinating board shall consult
227	227	with representatives of the educator preparation programs from
228	228	eligible institutions.
229	229	(d) In developing rules related to distributing a
230	230	scholarship, the coordinating board shall consult with financial
231	231	aid coordinators of eligible institutions.
232	232	(e) The total amount of scholarships awarded may not exceed
233	233	the amount available for the program from appropriations, gifts,
234	234	grants, or other funds.
235	235	(f) From money appropriated by the legislature for the
236	236	purposes of this subchapter, the coordinating board annually shall
237	237	determine the allocation of money available for scholarships among
238	238	eligible institutions and shall distribute the money accordingly.
239	239	(g) In determining who should receive a scholarship under
240	240	this subchapter, the coordinating board shall give priority to
241	241	awarding scholarships to:
242	242	(1) persons who demonstrate the greatest financial
243	243	need and whose expected family contribution, as determined
244	244	according to the methodology used for federal student financial
245	245	aid, does not exceed 60 percent of the average statewide amount of
246	246	tuition and required fees;
247	247	(2) first-generation college students, as defined by
248	248	coordinating board rule; and
249	249	(3) persons who demonstrate a commitment both to
250	250	entering a teaching field identified by the commissioner of
251	251	education as experiencing a critical shortage of teachers and to
252	252	teaching in a public school in this state in which a majority of
253	253	students enrolled are educationally disadvantaged.
254	254	SECTION 2. Section 56.308(b), Education Code, is amended to
255	255	read as follows:
256	256	(b) Each school district shall:
257	257	(1) notify its middle school students, junior high
258	258	school students, and high school students, those students' teachers
259	259	and school counselors, and those students' parents of the TEXAS
260	260	grant, [and] Teach for Texas grant, and Future Texas Teachers
261	261	Scholarship programs, the eligibility requirements of each
262	262	program, the need for students to make informed curriculum choices
263	263	to be prepared for success beyond high school, and sources of
264	264	information on higher education admissions and financial aid in a
265	265	manner that assists the district in implementing a strategy adopted
266	266	by the district under Section 11.252(a)(4); and
267	267	(2) ensure that each student's official transcript or
268	268	diploma indicates whether the student has completed or is on
269	269	schedule to complete:
270	270	(A) the recommended or advanced high school
271	271	curriculum required for grant eligibility under Section 28.002 or
272	272	28.025; or
273	273	(B) for a school district covered by Section
274	274	56.304(f)(1), the required portion of the recommended or advanced
275	275	high school curriculum in the manner described by Section
276	276	56.304(f)(2).
277	277	SECTION 3. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating
278	278	Board shall adopt rules to administer Subchapter S, Chapter 56,
279	279	Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after
280	280	the effective date of this Act.
281	281	(b) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
282	282	begin awarding scholarships under Subchapter S, Chapter 56,
283	283	Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2023-2024
284	284	academic year.
285	285	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
286	286	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
287	287	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
288	288	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
289	289	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
290	290	______________________________ ______________________________
291	291	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
292	292	I certify that H.B. No. 4363 was passed by the House on May 2,
293	293	2023, by the following vote: Yeas 108, Nays 34, 1 present, not
294	294	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
295	295	No. 4363 on May 25, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 119, Nays 19,
296	296	2 present, not voting.
297	297	______________________________
298	298	Chief Clerk of the House
299	299	I certify that H.B. No. 4363 was passed by the Senate, with
300	300	amendments, on May 21, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays
301	301	6.
302	302	______________________________
303	303	Secretary of the Senate
304	304	APPROVED: __________________
305	305	Date
306	306	__________________
307	307	Governor