Bill Text: TX SB2139 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Comm Sub
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Opportunity High School Diploma program.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-18 - Effective immediately [SB2139 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB2139-Comm_Sub.html
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of the Opportunity High School Diploma program.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-18 - Effective immediately [SB2139 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SB2139-Comm_Sub.html
By: Parker | S.B. No. 2139 | |
(In the Senate - Filed March 9, 2023; March 21, 2023, read | ||
first time and referred to Subcommittee on Higher Education; | ||
April 17, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee | ||
Substitute from Committee on Education by the following vote: | ||
Yeas 10, Nays 0; April 17, 2023, sent to printer.) | ||
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2139 | By: Springer |
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relating to the establishment of the Opportunity High School | ||
Diploma pilot program. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 130, Education Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter O to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER O. OPPORTUNITY HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA PILOT PROGRAM | ||
Sec. 130.451. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher | ||
Education Coordinating Board. | ||
(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the | ||
meaning assigned by Section 61.003. | ||
(3) "Pilot program" means the Opportunity High School | ||
Diploma pilot program established under this subchapter. | ||
Sec. 130.452. PURPOSE. The purpose of the pilot program is | ||
to provide an alternative means by which adult students enrolled in | ||
a workforce education program at a public junior college may earn a | ||
high school diploma at the college through concurrent enrollment in | ||
a competency-based education program that enables students to | ||
demonstrate knowledge substantially equivalent to the knowledge | ||
required to earn a high school diploma in this state. | ||
Sec. 130.453. ADMINISTRATION. The coordinating board shall | ||
administer the pilot program in consultation with the Texas | ||
Education Agency and the Texas Workforce Commission. | ||
Sec. 130.454. APPROVAL OF ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA | ||
PROGRAM. (a) A public junior college may submit to the | ||
coordinating board an application to participate in the pilot | ||
program. The application must propose an alternative | ||
competency-based high school diploma program to be offered for | ||
concurrent enrollment to adult students without a high school | ||
diploma who are enrolled in a workforce education program at the | ||
college. The proposed program may include any combination of | ||
instruction, curriculum, achievement, internships, or other means | ||
by which a student may attain knowledge sufficient to adequately | ||
prepare the student for postsecondary education or additional | ||
workforce education. | ||
(b) The coordinating board may approve not more than five | ||
public junior colleges to participate in the pilot program. | ||
(c) Subject to Subsection (b), the coordinating board shall | ||
review and approve a public junior college's application to | ||
participate in the pilot program if the board determines that the | ||
college's proposed program described by Subsection (a) will provide | ||
instruction and assessments appropriate to ensure that a student | ||
who successfully completes the program demonstrates levels of | ||
knowledge sufficient to adequately prepare the student for | ||
postsecondary education or additional workforce education. The | ||
coordinating board may coordinate with the Texas Education Agency | ||
as necessary to make a determination under this subsection. | ||
(d) A public junior college approved to participate in the | ||
pilot program may: | ||
(1) enter into an agreement with one or more public | ||
junior colleges, general academic teaching institutions, school | ||
districts, or nonprofit organizations to offer the program | ||
described by Subsection (a); and | ||
(2) offer the program described by Subsection (a) at | ||
any campus of the college or an entity with which the college has | ||
entered into an agreement under Subdivision (1). | ||
Sec. 130.455. AWARD OF HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. (a) A public | ||
junior college participating in the pilot program may award a high | ||
school diploma to a student enrolled in the alternative | ||
competency-based high school diploma program offered by the college | ||
under the pilot program if the student performs satisfactorily on | ||
assessment instruments prescribed by coordinating board rule. | ||
(b) A high school diploma awarded under the pilot program is | ||
equivalent to a high school diploma awarded under Section 28.025. | ||
Sec. 130.456. FUNDING. (a) The coordinating board and the | ||
Texas Workforce Commission shall coordinate to jointly identify | ||
funding mechanisms, including grants, interagency contracts, | ||
financial aid, or subsidies, available to public junior colleges | ||
and students to encourage and facilitate participation in the pilot | ||
program. | ||
(b) A public junior college participating in the pilot | ||
program is entitled to receive funding under Section 130.003 for | ||
the pilot program in the manner provided by coordinating board | ||
rule. | ||
Sec. 130.457. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2026, the | ||
coordinating board shall submit to the legislature a report on the | ||
effectiveness of the pilot program. The report must include a | ||
recommendation regarding whether the pilot program should be | ||
continued, expanded, or terminated. | ||
Sec. 130.458. RULES. The coordinating board may adopt | ||
rules as necessary to implement this subchapter. | ||
Sec. 130.459. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires | ||
September 1, 2027. | ||
SECTION 2. 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, 2023. | ||
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