88R8832 KJE-D     By: Talarico H.B. No. 2179       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the addition of a service readiness component to the   college, career, or military readiness outcomes bonus under the   Foundation School Program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 12.263(e), Education Code, as effective   September 1, 2023, is amended to read as follows:          (e)  For purposes of the college, career, [or] military, or   service readiness outcomes bonus under Section 48.110,   notwithstanding Subsection (f) of that section, an annual graduate   of an adult education program operated under a charter granted   under this subchapter demonstrates career readiness by earning an   industry-accepted certificate not later than six months after   completing the program.          SECTION 2.  The heading to Section 48.110, Education Code,   is amended to read as follows:          Sec. 48.110.  COLLEGE, CAREER, [OR] MILITARY, OR SERVICE   READINESS OUTCOMES BONUS.          SECTION 3.  Sections 48.110(b), (c), (d), (f), (g), and (i),   Education Code, are amended to read as follows:          (b)  For purposes of the outcomes bonus under this section,   the commissioner shall determine the threshold percentage as   provided by Subsection (g) for college, career, [or] military, or   service readiness as described by Subsection (f) for each of the   following cohorts:                (1)  annual graduates who are educationally   disadvantaged;                (2)  annual graduates who are not educationally   disadvantaged; and                (3)  annual graduates who are enrolled in a special   education program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, regardless of   whether the annual graduates are educationally disadvantaged.          (c)  Each year, the commissioner shall determine for each   school district the minimum number of annual graduates in each   cohort described by Subsection (b) who would have to demonstrate   college, career, [or] military, or service readiness as described   by Subsection (f) in order for the district to achieve a percentage   of college, career, [or] military, or service readiness for that   cohort equal to the threshold percentage established for that   cohort under Subsection (b).          (d)  For each annual graduate in a cohort described by   Subsection (b) who demonstrates college, career, [or] military, or   service readiness as described by Subsection (f) in excess of the   minimum number of students determined for the applicable district   cohort under Subsection (c), a school district is entitled to an   annual outcomes bonus of:                (1)  if the annual graduate is educationally   disadvantaged, $5,000;                (2)  if the annual graduate is not educationally   disadvantaged, $3,000; and                (3)  if the annual graduate is enrolled in a special   education program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, $2,000,   regardless of whether the annual graduate is educationally   disadvantaged.          (f)  For purposes of this section, an annual graduate   demonstrates:                (1)  college readiness if the annual graduate:                      (A)  both:                            (i)  achieves college readiness standards   used for accountability purposes under Chapter 39 on the ACT, the   SAT, or an assessment instrument designated by the Texas Higher   Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334; and                            (ii)  during a time period established by   commissioner rule, enrolls at a postsecondary educational   institution; or                      (B)  earns an associate degree from a   postsecondary educational institution approved by the Texas Higher   Education Coordinating Board while attending high school or during   a time period established by commissioner rule;                (2)  career readiness if the annual graduate:                      (A)  achieves college readiness standards used   for accountability purposes under Chapter 39 on the ACT, the SAT, or   an assessment instrument designated by the Texas Higher Education   Coordinating Board under Section 51.334; and                      (B)  during a time period established by   commissioner rule, earns an industry-accepted certificate; [and]                (3)  military readiness if the annual graduate:                      (A)  achieves a passing score set by the   applicable military branch on the Armed Services Vocational   Aptitude Battery; and                      (B)  during a time period established by   commissioner rule, enlists in the armed forces of the United States   or the Texas National Guard; and                (4)  service readiness if the annual graduate enrolls   in an AmeriCorps program not later than the last day of the seventh   month after graduation from high school.          (g)  The commissioner shall establish the threshold   percentages under Subsection (b) using the 25th percentile of   statewide college, career, [or] military, or service readiness as   described by Subsection (f) for the applicable cohort of annual   graduates during the 2016-2017 school year.          (i)  At least 55 percent of the funds allocated under this   section must be used in grades 8 through 12 to improve college,   career, [and] military, and service readiness outcomes as described   by Subsection (f).          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.