By: Bowers H.B. No. 4893
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the Breakthrough Program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter H to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER H. BREAKTHROUGH PROGRAM
Sections 33.261, 33.262, 33.263, 33.264, 33.265 and 33.266
Education Code, are added to read as follows:
Sec. 33.261 DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(a) “Breakthrough” means a Postsecondary Advising
Program that supports students who are the first in their families
to pursue and attain a postsecondary certificate or diploma, or
students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
Sec. 33.262. DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER. (a) The commissioner
shall:
(1) coordinate the efforts of the Breakthrough program
with other social service organizations and agencies and with
public school personnel to provide services to students who are at
risk of not completing critical steps to complete high school and
pursue college and career options after graduation;
(2) support the Breakthrough program to establish
performance goals, objectives, and measures for the program,
including performance goals, objectives, and measures that
consider improvement in student:
(A) academic achievement;
(B) promotion, graduation, and retention; and
(C) matriculation into postsecondary education
(3) obtain information to determine accomplishment of
performance goals, objectives, and measures;
(4) help communities that want to participate in the
program establish a local funding base;
(5) provide training and technical assistance for
participating communities and programs;
(6) and adopt policies concerning:
(A) the responsibility of the agency in
Encouraging local businesses to participate in local Breakthrough
programs;
(B) the responsibility of the agency in Obtaining
information from participating programs; and
(C) any other areas concerning the program.
Identified by the commissioner.
(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement the
policies described by Subsection (a)(7) and shall annually update
the rules.
Sec. 33.263. COOPERATION WITH BREAKTHROUGH. (a) The
agency and Breakthrough shall work together to maximize the
effectiveness of the Breakthrough program.
Sec. 33.264. FUNDING. (a) The agency shall support local
Breakthrough programs to develop and implement.
(b) Each local Breakthrough program shall develop a funding
plan which ensures that the level of services is maintained if state
funding is reduced.
(c) A local Breakthrough program may accept federal funds,
state funds, private contributions, grants, and public and school
district funds to support the program.
Sec. 33.265. AGENCY PERFORMANCE OF BREAKTHROUGH FUNCTIONS
REQUIRED. (a) The agency, through the Breakthrough State Office:
(1) must perform each function concerning the
Breakthrough program for which the agency is responsible; and
(2) may not contract with a private entity to perform a
function described by Subdivision (1).
SECTION 33.266. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.