HB2850 - Relating to financial incentives for public school teachers who commit to teach a dual credit course.

  89R9901 CMO-D     By: Perez of El Paso H.B. No. 2850       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to financial incentives for public school teachers who   commit to teach a dual credit course.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding   Subchapter QQ to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER QQ. FINANCIAL INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR DUAL CREDIT COURSE   TEACHERS             Sec.   61.9981.     ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM.   The board shall establish a program to provide tuition assistance   to assist teachers in obtaining a master's degree required to teach   a dual credit course.           Sec.   61.9982.     ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive   tuition assistance under this subchapter, a person must:                 (1)     apply to the board in the form and manner   prescribed by board rule;                 (2)     be enrolled in a master's degree program at an   institution of higher education;                 (3)     hold a certificate issued under Subchapter B,   Chapter 21;                 (4)     enter into an agreement with the board as provided   by Section 61.9983; and                 (5)  at the time of application for tuition assistance:                       (A)     have been employed full time for at least one   year by a public school in this state; and                       (B)     currently be employed full time by a public   school in this state.           Sec.   61.9983.     AGREEMENT. To qualify for tuition assistance   under this subchapter, a person must enter into a written agreement   with the board as provided by this section. The agreement must   require the person to:                 (1)     obtain, within the period prescribed by board   rule, a master's degree required to teach a dual credit course; and                 (2)     teach a dual credit course in a public school in   this state for the next five school years.           Sec.   61.9984.     TUITION ASSISTANCE. (a)   The board by rule   shall establish the amount of tuition assistance that may be   awarded to each participant in the program.           (b)     The board shall deliver any tuition assistance awarded   under this subchapter directly to an institution of higher   education on the participant's behalf.           Sec.   61.9985.     REIMBURSEMENT; EXCEPTIONS.   (a)   A program   participant who fails to meet the requirements of Section 61.9983   shall reimburse the board for the amount of any tuition assistance   received by the participant under this subchapter.           (b)     The board shall grant a participant, in the event of a   hardship or for other good cause shown, a one-year grace period to   meet the requirements of Section 61.9983 before requiring the   participant to reimburse the board under Subsection (a).           Sec.   61.9986.     GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. In addition to   using money appropriated by the legislature for this purpose, the   board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations for the   purposes of this subchapter.           Sec.   61.9987.     RULES. The board shall adopt rules necessary   for the administration of this subchapter, including a rule that   sets the maximum amount of tuition assistance a person may receive   under this subchapter.          SECTION 2.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board   shall adopt rules for the administration of Subchapter QQ, Chapter   61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable   after this Act takes effect.          SECTION 3.  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, 2025.