Bill Text: TX HB2910 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to measures to increase degree completion rates and support students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2011-06-17 - Effective immediately [HB2910 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HB2910-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 2910 |
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relating to measures to increase degree completion rates and | ||
support students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and | ||
mathematics at institutions of higher education. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 61.0905 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.0905. AGREEMENTS AND GRANTS TO INCREASE DEGREE | ||
COMPLETION RATES. (a) The board may, in partnership with | ||
institutions of higher education, enter into an agreement with | ||
nonprofit organizations to assist the board in identifying and | ||
implementing effective methods for increasing degree completion | ||
rates at institutions of higher education, including by: | ||
(1) identifying and promoting innovative models, | ||
emerging technology platforms, and best practices for increasing | ||
degree completion rates in areas including: | ||
(A) developmental education; | ||
(B) financial assistance; | ||
(C) student support services; and | ||
(D) transfer or articulation agreements; | ||
(2) providing data, research, and evaluation support | ||
to assist the board in assessing the effectiveness of pilot | ||
programs in increasing degree completion rates; | ||
(3) coordinating ongoing local, state, federal, and | ||
philanthropic initiatives to increase degree completion rates; and | ||
(4) determining the extent of implementation of degree | ||
completion rate improvement models across a region or the state and | ||
the effectiveness of the models as student population increases. | ||
(b) The board by rule may establish a grant program to fund | ||
projects, including the award of a grant to a nonprofit | ||
organization that enters into an agreement with the board under | ||
this section, related to the improvement of degree completion | ||
rates. If the board establishes a grant program under this section, | ||
the board by rule shall prescribe the application procedure and | ||
criteria for awarding a grant. | ||
(c) Grants awarded by the board under this section may be | ||
funded by: | ||
(1) appropriations; and | ||
(2) gifts, grants, or other donations. | ||
(d) Not later than January 1, 2012, the board shall report | ||
to the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, | ||
Excellence, and Transparency a description of: | ||
(1) the types of nonprofit organizations eligible for | ||
a grant under this section; | ||
(2) grants awarded under this section; and | ||
(3) a survey of partnerships between other states and | ||
nonprofit organizations to increase degree completion rates, | ||
including identification of best practices. | ||
(e) This section expires September 1, 2013. | ||
SECTION 2. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subchapter GG to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER GG. TEXAS SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND | ||
MATHEMATICS (T-STEM) CHALLENGE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 61.9791. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "STEM | ||
program" means a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics | ||
program. | ||
Sec. 61.9792. SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. The board shall | ||
establish and administer, in accordance with this subchapter and | ||
board rules, the Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and | ||
Mathematics (T-STEM) Challenge Scholarship program under which the | ||
board provides a scholarship to a student who meets the eligibility | ||
criteria prescribed by Section 61.9793. | ||
Sec. 61.9793. ELIGIBLE STUDENT. (a) To receive an initial | ||
scholarship under this subchapter, a student must: | ||
(1) graduate from high school with a grade point | ||
average of at least 3.0 on a four-point scale in mathematics and | ||
science courses; | ||
(2) enroll in a STEM program at an eligible | ||
institution; and | ||
(3) agree to work no more than 15 hours a week for a | ||
business participating in the STEM program. | ||
(b) To continue to qualify for a scholarship under this | ||
subchapter, a student must: | ||
(1) remain enrolled in a STEM program at an eligible | ||
institution; | ||
(2) maintain an overall grade point average of at | ||
least 3.0 on a four-point scale; | ||
(3) complete at least 80 percent of all semester | ||
credit hours attempted for each semester; | ||
(4) complete at least 30 semester credit hours per | ||
academic year; and | ||
(5) work no more than 15 hours a week for a business | ||
participating in the STEM program. | ||
Sec. 61.9794. ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION. (a) To qualify as an | ||
eligible institution under this subchapter, an institution must: | ||
(1) be a public junior college or public technical | ||
institute; | ||
(2) admit at least 50 students into a STEM program each | ||
academic year; and | ||
(3) develop partnerships with business and industry | ||
to: | ||
(A) identify local employment needs in Science, | ||
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields; and | ||
(B) provide part-time employment for students | ||
enrolled in a STEM program. | ||
(b) To maintain eligibility, beginning with the second year | ||
following implementation of a scholarship program under this | ||
subchapter, an institution must demonstrate to the board that at | ||
least 70 percent of the institution's T-STEM Challenge Scholarship | ||
graduates, within three months after graduation, are: | ||
(1) employed by a business in a Science, Technology, | ||
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field; or | ||
(2) enrolled in upper-division courses leading to a | ||
baccalaureate degree in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and | ||
Mathematics (STEM) field. | ||
Sec. 61.9795. AMOUNT; FUNDING. (a) Subject to available | ||
funding, the board shall award scholarships, with at least 50 | ||
percent of the amount awarded from private funds. | ||
(b) An eligible student may receive a scholarship awarded | ||
under this subchapter for not more than two academic years. | ||
(c) The board may use any available revenue, including | ||
legislative appropriations, and may solicit and accept gifts and | ||
grants for purposes of this subchapter. | ||
SECTION 3. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board | ||
shall award scholarships under Subchapter GG, Chapter 61, Education | ||
Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2011-2012 academic | ||
year. The coordinating board shall adopt the rules required by that | ||
subchapter as soon as practicable after this Act takes effect. | ||
SECTION 4. 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, 2011. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 2910 was passed by the House on April | ||
21, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 1, 1 present, not | ||
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
No. 2910 on May 28, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, | ||
1 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 2910 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 25, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays | ||
0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |