| 1 | 1 | | 89R734 CXP-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Guillen H.B. No. 1233 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to measures to encourage the earning of credentials of |
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| 10 | 10 | | value at public institutions of higher education. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Sections 61.09093 and 61.09094 to read as |
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| 14 | 14 | | follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 61.09093. CREDENTIALS OF VALUE. (a) In this section, |
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| 16 | 16 | | "credential of value" means an industry-recognized work-based |
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| 17 | 17 | | learning credential in a high-demand, high-growth industry leading |
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| 18 | 18 | | to quality career opportunities, as determined by the Texas |
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| 19 | 19 | | Workforce Commission. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) The board shall encourage: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) completion of credentials of value in satisfaction |
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| 22 | 22 | | of certain required coursework under degree or certificate programs |
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| 23 | 23 | | offered by institutions of higher education; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) memoranda of understanding between institutions |
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| 25 | 25 | | of higher education that offer credentials of value; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) transferability of course credit, particularly |
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| 27 | 27 | | with regard to course credit leading to a credential of value; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (4) development of degree and certificate programs |
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| 29 | 29 | | that enable students to earn a degree or certificate by completing |
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| 30 | 30 | | parts of the program at different institutions of higher education; |
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| 31 | 31 | | and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (5) applicability of grant, scholarship, and other |
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| 33 | 33 | | financial aid money toward costs related to earning credentials of |
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| 34 | 34 | | value. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (c) The board shall award a successful outcomes distinction |
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| 36 | 36 | | designation to an institution of higher education if at least eight |
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| 37 | 37 | | percent of the institution's graduating class for the academic year |
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| 38 | 38 | | earns a credential of value. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (d) The board, in coordination with the Texas Workforce |
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| 40 | 40 | | Commission, shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section. |
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| 41 | 41 | | Sec. 61.09094. CREDENTIALS OF VALUE TASK FORCE. (a) In |
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| 42 | 42 | | this section, "credential of value" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 43 | 43 | | Section 61.09093. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (b) The board shall establish a task force to: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) study and make recommendations related to |
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| 46 | 46 | | promoting students earning credentials of value; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (2) develop a model framework to: |
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| 48 | 48 | | (A) establish accredited degree and certificate |
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| 49 | 49 | | programs that enable students to earn a degree or certificate by |
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| 50 | 50 | | completing parts of the program at different institutions of higher |
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| 51 | 51 | | education; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (B) enable students to: |
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| 53 | 53 | | (i) earn credit toward the completion of |
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| 54 | 54 | | degree and certificate programs described by Paragraph (A) while in |
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| 55 | 55 | | high school; |
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| 56 | 56 | | (ii) earn at least two credentials of value |
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| 57 | 57 | | in a baccalaureate degree program described by Paragraph (A); and |
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| 58 | 58 | | (iii) graduate with at least two |
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| 59 | 59 | | credentials of value and a baccalaureate degree from a program |
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| 60 | 60 | | described by Paragraph (A) in four years or less after graduating |
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| 61 | 61 | | from high school. |
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| 62 | 62 | | (c) The task force must include representatives from: |
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| 63 | 63 | | (1) a school district; |
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| 64 | 64 | | (2) a recognized accrediting agency; |
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| 65 | 65 | | (3) a general academic teaching institution; |
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| 66 | 66 | | (4) a public junior college; |
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| 67 | 67 | | (5) a public technical institute; and |
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| 68 | 68 | | (6) the Texas Workforce Commission. |
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| 69 | 69 | | (d) Not later than March 1, 2026, the task force shall |
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| 70 | 70 | | prepare and submit to the coordinating board, the Texas Education |
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| 71 | 71 | | Agency, and the legislature a preliminary report on the model |
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| 72 | 72 | | framework and any recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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| 73 | 73 | | (e) Not later than September 1, 2026, the task force shall |
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| 74 | 74 | | submit to the coordinating board, the Texas Education Agency, and |
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| 75 | 75 | | the legislature a final report on the model framework and any |
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| 76 | 76 | | recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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| 77 | 77 | | (f) The task force is abolished and this section expires |
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| 78 | 78 | | September 1, 2027. |
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| 79 | 79 | | SECTION 2. Section 61.09093, Education Code, as added by |
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| 80 | 80 | | this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year. |
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| 81 | 81 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 82 | 82 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 83 | 83 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 84 | 84 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 85 | 85 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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