Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2139 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	S.B. No. 2139
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the establishment of the Opportunity High School
6	6	Diploma program.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Chapter 130, Education Code, is amended by
9	9	adding Subchapter O to read as follows:
10	10	SUBCHAPTER O. OPPORTUNITY HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA PROGRAM
11	11	Sec. 130.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
12	12	(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
13	13	Education Coordinating Board.
14	14	(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the
15	15	meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
16	16	(3) "Program," unless the context indicates
17	17	otherwise, means the Opportunity High School Diploma program
18	18	established under this subchapter.
19	19	Sec. 130.452. PURPOSE. The purpose of the program is to
20	20	provide an alternative means by which adult students enrolled in a
21	21	workforce education program at a public junior college may earn a
22	22	high school diploma at the college through concurrent enrollment in
23	23	a competency-based education program that enables students to
24	24	demonstrate knowledge substantially equivalent to the knowledge
25	25	required to earn a high school diploma in this state.
26	26	Sec. 130.453. ADMINISTRATION. The coordinating board shall
27	27	administer the program in consultation with the Texas Education
28	28	Agency and the Texas Workforce Commission.
29	29	Sec. 130.454. APPROVAL OF ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
30	30	PROGRAM. (a) A public junior college may submit to the
31	31	coordinating board an application to participate in the program.
32	32	The application must propose an alternative competency-based high
33	33	school diploma program to be offered for concurrent enrollment to
34	34	adult students without a high school diploma who are enrolled in a
35	35	workforce education program at the college. The proposed program
36	36	may include any combination of instruction, curriculum,
37	37	achievement, internships, or other means by which a student may
38	38	attain knowledge sufficient to adequately prepare the student for
39	39	postsecondary education or additional workforce education.
40	40	(b) A public junior college may submit an application under
41	41	Subsection (a) together with one or more public junior colleges,
42	42	general academic teaching institutions, public school districts,
43	43	or nonprofit organizations with whom the proposed program described
44	44	by that subsection will be offered as provided by Subsection (e).
45	45	(c) The coordinating board may approve not more than five
46	46	public junior colleges to participate in the program.
47	47	(d) Subject to Subsection (c), the coordinating board shall
48	48	review and approve a public junior college's application to
49	49	participate in the program if the board determines that the
50	50	college's proposed program described by Subsection (a) will provide
51	51	instruction and assessments appropriate to ensure that a student
52	52	who successfully completes the proposed program demonstrates
53	53	levels of knowledge sufficient to adequately prepare the student
54	54	for postsecondary education or additional workforce education. The
55	55	coordinating board may coordinate with the Texas Education Agency
56	56	as necessary to make a determination under this subsection.
57	57	(e) A public junior college approved to participate in the
58	58	program may:
59	59	(1) enter into an agreement with one or more public
60	60	junior colleges, general academic teaching institutions, public
61	61	school districts, or nonprofit organizations to offer the program
62	62	described by Subsection (a); and
63	63	(2) offer the program described by Subsection (a) at
64	64	any campus of the college or an entity with which the college has
65	65	entered into an agreement under Subdivision (1).
66	66	Sec. 130.455. AWARD OF HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. (a) A public
67	67	junior college participating in the program may award a high school
68	68	diploma to a student enrolled in the alternative competency-based
69	69	high school diploma program offered by the college under the
70	70	program if the student performs satisfactorily on assessment
71	71	instruments prescribed by coordinating board rule.
72	72	(b) A high school diploma awarded under the program is
73	73	equivalent to a high school diploma awarded under Section 28.025.
74	74	Sec. 130.456. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board and the
75	75	Texas Workforce Commission shall coordinate to jointly identify
76	76	funding mechanisms, including grants, interagency contracts,
77	77	financial aid, or subsidies, available to public junior colleges
78	78	and students to encourage and facilitate participation in the
79	79	program.
80	80	(b) A public junior college participating in the program is
81	81	entitled to receive funding under Section 130.003 for the program
82	82	in the manner provided by coordinating board rule.
83	83	Sec. 130.457. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2026, the
84	84	coordinating board shall submit to the legislature a progress
85	85	report on the effectiveness of the program and any recommendations
86	86	for legislative or other action. This section expires
87	87	September 1, 2027.
88	88	Sec. 130.458. RULES. The coordinating board may adopt
89	89	rules as necessary to implement this subchapter.
90	90	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
91	91	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
92	92	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
93	93	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
94	94	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
95	95	______________________________ ______________________________
96	96	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
97	97	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2139 passed the Senate on
98	98	April 20, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
99	99	the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 19, 2023, by the
100	100	following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
101	101	______________________________
102	102	Secretary of the Senate
103	103	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2139 passed the House, with
104	104	amendment, on May 17, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 142,
105	105	Nays 3, one present not voting.
106	106	______________________________
107	107	Chief Clerk of the House
108	108	Approved:
109	109	______________________________
110	110	Date
111	111	______________________________
112	112	Governor