Bill Text: TX SB1729 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to the Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM) Challenge Scholarship program.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-05-24 - Placed on General State Calendar [SB1729 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SB1729-Engrossed.html
By: Zaffirini | S.B. No. 1729 |
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relating to the Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and | ||
Mathematics (T-STEM) Challenge Scholarship program. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. 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 2. 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 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |