Sec. 28.009. COLLEGE CREDIT PROGRAM. (a) Each school district shall implement a program under which students may earn the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of college credit in high school. On request, a public institution of higher education in this state shall assist a school district in developing and implementing the program. The college credit may be earned through:
(1) international baccalaureate, advanced placement, or dual credit courses;
(2) articulated postsecondary courses provided for local credit or articulated postsecondary advanced technical credit courses provided for state credit; or
(3) any combination of the courses described by Subdivisions (1) and (2).
(a-1) A program implemented under this section may provide a student the opportunity to earn credit for a course or activity, including an apprenticeship or training hours:
(1) that:
(A) satisfies a requirement necessary to obtain an industry-recognized credential or certificate or an associate degree; and
(B) is approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; and
(2) for which a student may earn credit concurrently toward both the student's high school diploma and postsecondary academic requirements.
(a-2) A school district is not required to pay a student's tuition or other associated costs for taking a course under this section.
Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 90 (H.B. 505), Sec. 1
(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:
(1) the number of dual credit courses or hours in which a student may enroll while in high school;
(2) the number of dual credit courses or hours in which a student may enroll each semester or academic year; or
(3) the grade levels at which a high school student may be eligible to enroll in a dual credit course.
Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 988 (H.B. 18), Sec. 2
(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.
(c) The commissioner and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall share data as necessary to enable school districts to comply with this subsection. Each school district shall annually report to the agency:
(1) the number of district students, including career and technical students, who have participated in the program and earned college credit; and
(2) the cumulative number of courses in which participating district students have enrolled and college credit hours the students have earned.
(c-1) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall collect student course credit data from public institutions of higher education as necessary for purposes of Subsection (c).
(d) In this section:
(1) "Career and technical student" means:
(A) a secondary education student who has entered the first course in a sequence of two or more technical courses for three or more credits in a career and technical education program; or
(B) a student who:
(i) is enrolled in an academic or workforce course that is part of a sequence of courses leading to an industry-recognized credential, certificate, or degree; and
(ii) has declared that sequence of courses as the student's major course of study.
(2) "Sequence of courses" means career and technical education courses approved by the State Board of Education, innovative courses approved by the State Board of Education that are provided for local credit, or a tech-prep program of study under Section 61.852.
Added by Acts 2006, 79th Leg., 3rd C.S., Ch. 5 (H.B. 1), Sec. 5.01, eff. May 31, 2006.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 763 (H.B. 3485), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1328 (H.B. 3646), Sec. 15, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 369 (S.B. 149), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 369 (S.B. 149), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 369 (S.B. 149), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 369 (S.B. 149), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1104 (S.B. 1619), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 213 (H.B. 842), Sec. 1, eff. June 10, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 424 (S.B. 435), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 90 (H.B. 505), Sec. 1, eff. May 23, 2015.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 988 (H.B. 18), Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 2015.
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