89R5138 KJE-D     By: Hughes S.B. No. 895       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a student's eligibility to participate in the Financial   Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 28.0095(c), (e), (f), and (h),   Education Code, are amended to read as follows:          (c)  A student is eligible to enroll at no cost in a dual   credit course under the program if the student:                (1)  is enrolled:                      (A)  in high school in a school district, [or]   charter school, or private school, including a home school; and                      (B)  in a dual credit course at a participating   institution of higher education; and                (2)  was educationally disadvantaged at any time during   the four school years preceding the student's enrollment in the   dual credit course described by Subdivision (1)(B).          (e)  Each school district, [or] charter school, or private   school shall:                (1)  on a high school student's enrollment in a dual   credit course, determine whether the student meets the criteria for   the program under Subsection (c)(2); and                (2)  notify the institution of higher education that   offers the dual credit course in which the student is enrolled of   the district's or school's determination under Subdivision (1).          (f)  A school district, [or] charter school, or private   school may make the determination under Subsection (e)(1) based on   the district's or school's records, the agency's records, or any   other method authorized by commissioner or coordinating board rule.     If the district or school bases the determination on a method other   than the agency's records, the district or school shall report the   method used and the data on which the method is based to the agency   for purposes of verification.          (h)  The coordinating board shall distribute money   transferred to the coordinating board under Section 48.308, or   appropriated to the coordinating board for purposes of paying costs   for eligible students enrolled in a private school, to the   participating institutions of higher education in proportion to the   number of dual credit courses in which eligible students are   enrolled at the institution.          SECTION 2.  Section 48.308(b), Education Code, as added by   Chapter 378 (H.B. 8), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular   Session, 2023, is amended to read as follows:          (b)  An institution of higher education participating in the   FAST program is entitled to an allotment in an amount equal to the   amount of tuition set by coordinating board rule under Section   28.0095(d) for each dual credit course in which a student who is   enrolled in a school district or open-enrollment charter school and   is eligible to participate in the FAST program is enrolled at the   institution.          SECTION 3.  Section 61.059, Education Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (u) to read as follows:          (u)  In its instruction and operations formula applicable to   an institution of higher education participating in the Financial   Aid for Swift Transfer (FAST) program under Section 28.0095, the   board shall include the amount of tuition set by coordinating board   rule under Section 28.0095(d) for each dual credit course in which a   student who is enrolled in a private school and is eligible to   participate in the FAST program is enrolled at the institution.          SECTION 4.  Section 28.0095, Education Code, as amended by   this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.          SECTION 5.  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.