H.B. No. 18
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to measures to support public school student academic
  achievement and high school, college, and career preparation.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 7.0561(b), (c), (d), and (j), Education
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The Texas High Performance Schools Consortium is
  established to inform the governor, legislature, State Board of
  Education, and commissioner concerning methods for transforming
  public schools in this state by improving student learning through
  the development of innovative, next-generation learning standards
  and assessment and accountability systems, including standards and
  systems relating to career and college readiness.
         (c)  From among school districts and eligible
  open-enrollment charter schools that apply using the form and in
  the time and manner established by commissioner rule, the
  commissioner may select not more than 30 [20] participants for the
  consortium. The districts selected by the commissioner must
  represent a range of district types, sizes, and diverse student
  populations, as determined by the commissioner in accordance with
  commissioner rule. To be eligible to participate in the
  consortium, an open-enrollment charter school must have been
  awarded a [an exemplary] distinction designation under Subchapter
  G, Chapter 39, during the preceding school year.
         (d)  The number of students enrolled in consortium
  participants may not be greater than a number equal to 10 [five]
  percent of the total number of students enrolled in public schools
  in this state according to the most recent agency data.
         (j)  The [With the assistance of the] school districts and
  open-enrollment charter schools participating in the consortium[,
  the commissioner] shall submit reports concerning the performance
  and progress of the consortium to the governor, [and] the
  legislature, the State Board of Education, and the commissioner not
  later than December 1 of each even-numbered year[, 2012, and not
  later than December 1, 2014]. [The report submitted not later than
  December 1, 2012, must include any recommendation by the
  commissioner concerning legislative authorization for the
  commissioner to waive a prohibition, requirement, or restriction
  that applies to a consortium participant. That report must also
  include a plan for an effective and efficient accountability system
  for consortium participants that balances academic excellence and
  local values to inspire learning and, at the state level,
  contingent on any necessary waiver of federal law, may incorporate
  use of a stratified random sampling of students or other objective
  methodology to hold consortium participants accountable while
  attempting to reduce the number of state assessment instruments
  that are required to be administered to students. The commissioner
  shall seek a federal waiver, to any extent necessary, to prepare for
  implementation of the plan if enacted by the legislature. This
  subsection expires January 1, 2018.]
         SECTION 2.  Section 28.009(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The agency shall coordinate with the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board as necessary in administering this
  section.  The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary concerning
  the duties under this section of a school district.  The Texas
  Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt rules as necessary
  concerning the duties under this section of a public institution of
  higher education.  A rule may not limit the number of dual credit
  courses or semester credit hours in which a student may enroll while
  in high school or limit the number of dual credit courses or
  semester credit hours in which a student may enroll each semester or
  academic year.
         SECTION 3.  (a)  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code,
  is amended by adding Section 28.015 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.015.  PUBLIC OUTREACH MATERIALS TO PROMOTE
  CURRICULUM CHANGE AWARENESS. (a)  The agency shall develop uniform
  public outreach materials that explain the importance and outline
  the details of public school curriculum changes under Chapter 211
  (H.B. 5), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, and
  subsequent associated decisions by the State Board of Education.  
  The agency shall make the materials available to school districts.
         (b)  The materials developed under this section must:
               (1)  be available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese;
               (2)  be in a form that would allow school districts to
  mail the information to students and parents; and
               (3)  include an explanation of:
                     (A)  the basic career and college readiness
  components of each endorsement under Section 28.025(c-1);
                     (B)  the curriculum requirements to gain
  automatic college admission under Section 51.803; and
                     (C)  applicable course, graduation plan, and
  endorsement requirements for financial aid authorized under Title
  3, including curriculum requirements for:
                           (i)  the TEXAS grant as provided under
  Subchapter M, Chapter 56;
                           (ii)  the Texas Educational Opportunity
  Grant Program as provided under Subchapter P, Chapter 56; and
                           (iii)  the Texas B-On-time loan program as
  provided under Subchapter Q, Chapter 56.
         (c)  This section expires September 1, 2018.
         (b)  The Texas Education Agency shall develop the materials
  described under Section 28.015, Education Code, as added by this
  section, no later than December 1, 2015.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 28.016 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.016.  INSTRUCTION IN HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, AND
  CAREER PREPARATION. (a)  Each school district shall provide
  instruction to students in grade seven or eight in preparing for
  high school, college, and a career.
         (b)  The instruction must include information regarding:
               (1)  the creation of a high school personal graduation
  plan under Section 28.02121;
               (2)  the distinguished level of achievement described
  by Section 28.025(b-15);
               (3)  each endorsement described by Section
  28.025(c-1);
               (4)  college readiness standards; and
               (5)  potential career choices and the education needed
  to enter those careers.
         (c)  A school district may:
               (1)  provide the instruction as part of an existing
  course in the required curriculum;
               (2)  provide the instruction as part of an existing
  career and technology course designated by the State Board of
  Education as appropriate for that purpose; or
               (3)  establish a new elective course through which to
  provide the instruction.
         (d)  Each school district shall ensure that at least once in
  grade seven or eight each student receives the instruction under
  this section.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 33.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 33.009.  POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREER COUNSELING
  ACADEMIES. (a) In this section, "center" means the Center for
  Teaching and Learning at The University of Texas at Austin.
         (b)  The center shall develop and make available
  postsecondary education and career counseling academies for school
  counselors and other postsecondary advisors employed by a school
  district at a middle school, junior high school, or high school.
         (c)  In developing academies under this section, the center
  shall solicit input from the agency, school counselors, the Texas
  Workforce Commission, institutions of higher education, and
  business, community, and school leaders.
         (d)  An academy developed under this section must provide
  counselors and other postsecondary advisors with knowledge and
  skills to provide counseling to students regarding postsecondary
  success and productive career planning and must include information
  relating to:
               (1)  each endorsement described by Section
  28.025(c-1), including:
                     (A)  the course requirements for each
  endorsement; and
                     (B)  the postsecondary educational and career
  opportunities associated with each endorsement;
               (2)  available methods for a student to earn credit for
  a course not offered at the school in which the student is enrolled,
  including enrollment in an electronic course provided through the
  state virtual school network under Chapter 30A;
               (3)  general academic performance requirements for
  admission to an institution of higher education, including the
  requirements for automatic admission to a general academic teaching
  institution under Section 51.803;
               (4)  regional workforce needs, including information
  about the required education and the average wage or salary for
  careers that meet those workforce needs; and
               (5)  effective strategies for engaging students and
  parents in planning for postsecondary education and potential
  careers, including participation in mentorships and business
  partnerships.
         (e)  The center shall develop an online instructional
  program that school districts may use in providing the instruction
  in high school, college, and career preparation required by Section
  28.016. The program must be structured for use as part of an
  existing course.
         (f)  The center may access the P-20/Workforce Data
  Repository established under Section 1.005(j-1) in developing
  training, instructional programs, and technological tools under
  this section and conducting related evaluations. The center may be
  provided access to the data repository through collaboration with
  the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board or a center for
  education research established under Section 1.005. The agency and
  the coordinating board may not condition the center's access to the
  data repository on agency or board review of the proposed training,
  instructional programs, technological tools, or related
  evaluations developed by the center.
         (g)  A teacher of a course described by Section 28.016(c)(2)
  or (3) may attend an academy developed under this section.
         (h)  From funds appropriated for that purpose, a school
  counselor who attends the academy under this section is entitled to
  receive a stipend in the amount determined by the center. If funds
  are available after all eligible school counselors have received a
  stipend under this subsection, the center shall pay a stipend in the
  amount determined by the center to a teacher who attends the academy
  under this section. A stipend received under this subsection is not
  considered in determining whether a district is paying the school
  counselor or teacher the minimum monthly salary under Section
  21.402.
         (i)  From available funds appropriated for purposes of this
  section, the center may provide to school counselors and other
  educators curricula, instructional materials, and technological
  tools relating to postsecondary education and career counseling.
         (j)  The center shall comply with any applicable provision of
  the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C.
  Section 1232g) in performing its duties or exercising its authority
  under this section.
         SECTION 6.  (a) Section 51.3062, Education Code, is amended
  by adding Subsection (u) to read as follows:
         (u)  An institution of higher education that administers an
  assessment instrument to students under this section shall report
  to each school district from which assessed students graduated high
  school all available information regarding student scores and
  performance on the assessment instrument and student demographics.
  The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this
  subsection, including rules for implementing this subsection in a
  manner that complies with federal law regarding confidentiality of
  student medical or educational information, including the Health
  Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C.
  Section 1320d et seq.) and the Family Educational Rights and
  Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g), and any state law
  relating to the privacy of student information.
         (b)  Section 51.3062(u), Education Code, as added by this
  section, applies beginning with assessment instruments
  administered by public institutions of higher education to entering
  undergraduate students for the 2016 fall semester.
         SECTION 7.  Section 130.008, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read as follows:
         (g)  A course offered for joint high school and junior
  college credit under this section must be taught by a qualified
  instructor approved or selected by the public junior college. For
  purposes of this subsection, an instructor is qualified if the
  instructor holds:
               (1)  a doctoral or master's degree in the discipline
  that is the subject of the course;
               (2)  a master's degree in another discipline with a
  concentration that required completion of a minimum of 18 graduate
  semester hours in the discipline that is the subject of the course;
  or
               (3)  for a course that is offered in an associate degree
  program and that is not designed for transfer to a baccalaureate
  degree program:
                     (A)  a degree described by Subdivision (1) or (2);
                     (B)  a baccalaureate degree in the discipline that
  is the subject of the course; or
                     (C)  an associate degree and demonstrated
  competencies in the discipline that is the subject of the course, as
  determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
         (h)  Not later than the 60th day after receipt, a public
  junior college shall approve or reject an application for approval
  to teach a course at a high school that is submitted by an
  instructor employed by the school district, organization, or other
  person that operates the high school with which the junior college
  entered into an agreement under this section to offer the course.
         SECTION 8.  Section 303.003(b-2), Labor Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b-2)  In addition to the purposes described by Subsections
  (b) and (b-1), in each state fiscal biennium, an amount of money
  from the skills development fund not to exceed five percent of the
  amount of general revenue appropriated to the skills development
  fund for that biennium may be used as provided by this subsection.  
  Funds available to the commission from other sources may also be
  used as provided by this subsection.  Funds may be awarded under
  this subsection to a lower-division institution of higher education
  to be used under an agreement with a school district, or to a school
  district to be used under an agreement with a lower-division
  institution of higher education, to support courses offered for
  joint high school and college-level credit or offered under a
  college credit career or technical education program that leads to
  an industry-recognized license, credential, or certificate.  
  Appropriate uses of funds awarded under this subsection include
  purchasing or repairing necessary equipment for a course and
  developing a course curriculum.  A course or program supported
  under this subsection must:
               (1)  have the endorsement of, or a letter of support
  from, at least one employer in this state; and
               (2)  be targeted to address the needs of high-demand
  fields or occupations, as identified by the applicable local
  workforce development board.
         SECTION 9.  Section 28.016, Education Code, as added by this
  Act, applies beginning with the 2015-2016 school year.
         SECTION 10.  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, 2015.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 18 was passed by the House on May 12,
  2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 136, Nays 9, 2 present, not
  voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
  H.B. No. 18 on May 29, 2015, and requested the appointment of a
  conference committee to consider the differences between the two
  houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
  on H.B. No. 18 on May 31, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 135,
  Nays 8, 2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 18 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 27, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
  1; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
  committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
  that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
  18 on May 31, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor