Texas Education Code § 29.259 Adult High School Diploma And Industry Certification Charter School Pilot Program

Sec. 29.259. ADULT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION CHARTER SCHOOL PILOT PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "adult education" means services and instruction provided below the college level for adults by a nonprofit entity described by Subsection (e).

(b) The commissioner shall establish an adult high school diploma and industry certification charter school pilot program as provided by this section as a strategy for meeting industry needs for a sufficiently trained workforce within the state.

(c) The agency shall adopt and administer a standardized secondary exit-level assessment instrument appropriate for assessing adult education program participants who successfully complete high school curriculum requirements under a program provided under this section. The commissioner shall determine the level of performance considered to be satisfactory on the secondary exit-level assessment instrument for receipt of a high school diploma by an adult education program participant in a program provided under this section.

(d) Notwithstanding any other law and in addition to the number of charters allowed under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, a charter under the pilot program may, on the basis of an application submitted, be granted to a single nonprofit entity described by Subsection (e) to provide an adult education program for not more than 150 individuals described by Subsection (g) to successfully complete:

(1) a high school program that can lead to a diploma; and

(2) career and technology education courses that can lead to industry certification.

(e) A nonprofit entity may be granted a charter under this section only if the entity:

(1) has a successful history of providing education services, including industry certifications and job placement services, to adults 18 years of age and older whose educational and training opportunities have been limited by educational disadvantages, disabilities, homelessness, criminal history, or similar circumstances; and

(2) agrees to commit at least $1 million to the adult education program offered.

(f) A nonprofit entity granted a charter under this section may partner with a public junior college to provide career and technology courses that lead to industry certification.

(g) A person who is at least 19 years of age and not more than 50 years of age is eligible to enroll in the adult education program under this section if the person has not earned a high school equivalency certificate and:

(1) has failed to complete the curriculum requirements for high school graduation; or

(2) has failed to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument required for high school graduation.

(h) The nonprofit entity must include in its charter application the information required by Subsection (i).

(i) A charter granted under this section must:

(1) include a description of the adult education program to be offered under this section; and

(2) establish specific, objective standards for receiving a high school diploma, including satisfactory performance on the standardized secondary exit-level assessment instrument described by Subsection (c).

(j) Funding for an adult education program under this section is provided based on the following:

(1) for participants who are 26 years of age and older, an amount per participant from available general revenue funds appropriated for the pilot program equal to the statewide average amount of state funding per student in weighted average daily attendance that would be allocated under the Foundation School Program to an open-enrollment charter school under Section 12.106 were the student under 26 years of age; and

(2) for participants who are at least 19 years of age and under 26 years of age, an amount per participant through the Foundation School Program equal to the amount of state funding per student in weighted average daily attendance that would be allocated under the Foundation School Program for the student's attendance at an open-enrollment charter school in accordance with Section 12.106.

(k) Sections 12.107 and 12.128 apply as though funds under this section were funds under Subchapter D, Chapter 12.

(l) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, beginning December 1, 2016, the agency shall prepare and deliver to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and presiding officer of each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over public education or economic development a report that:

(1) evaluates any adult education program operated under a charter granted under this section; and

(2) makes recommendations regarding the abolition, continuation, or expansion of the pilot program.

(m) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to administer the pilot program under this section. In adopting rules, the commissioner may modify charter school requirements only to the extent necessary for the administration of a charter school under this section that provides for adult education.

Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 478 (S.B. 1142), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.


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Last modified: September 28, 2016