89R9901 CMO-D
By: Perez of El Paso H.B. No. 2850
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to financial incentives for public school teachers who
commit to teach a dual credit course.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter QQ to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER QQ. FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR DUAL CREDIT COURSE
TEACHERS
Sec. 61.9981. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.
The board shall establish a program to provide tuition assistance
to assist teachers in obtaining a master's degree required to teach
a dual credit course.
Sec. 61.9982. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive
tuition assistance under this subchapter, a person must:
(1) apply to the board in the form and manner
prescribed by board rule;
(2) be enrolled in a master's degree program at an
institution of higher education;
(3) hold a certificate issued under Subchapter B,
Chapter 21;
(4) enter into an agreement with the board as provided
by Section 61.9983; and
(5) at the time of application for tuition assistance:
(A) have been employed full time for at least one
year by a public school in this state; and
(B) currently be employed full time by a public
school in this state.
Sec. 61.9983. AGREEMENT. To qualify for tuition assistance
under this subchapter, a person must enter into a written agreement
with the board as provided by this section. The agreement must
require the person to:
(1) obtain, within the period prescribed by board
rule, a master's degree required to teach a dual credit course; and
(2) teach a dual credit course in a public school in
this state for the next five school years.
Sec. 61.9984. TUITION ASSISTANCE. (a) The board by rule
shall establish the amount of tuition assistance that may be
awarded to each participant in the program.
(b) The board shall deliver any tuition assistance awarded
under this subchapter directly to an institution of higher
education on the participant's behalf.
Sec. 61.9985. REIMBURSEMENT; EXCEPTIONS. (a) A program
participant who fails to meet the requirements of Section 61.9983
shall reimburse the board for the amount of any tuition assistance
received by the participant under this subchapter.
(b) The board shall grant a participant, in the event of a
hardship or for other good cause shown, a one-year grace period to
meet the requirements of Section 61.9983 before requiring the
participant to reimburse the board under Subsection (a).
Sec. 61.9986. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to
using money appropriated by the legislature for this purpose, the
board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations for the
purposes of this subchapter.
Sec. 61.9987. RULES. The board shall adopt rules necessary
for the administration of this subchapter, including a rule that
sets the maximum amount of tuition assistance a person may receive
under this subchapter.
SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter QQ, Chapter
61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable
after this Act takes effect.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.