Public junior colleges may partner with school districts for dropout recovery programs, and they must design and run the program curriculum and coordination requirements described here.
Sec. 29.402. PARTNERSHIP. (a) A public junior college may enter into an articulation agreement to partner with one or more school districts located in the public junior college district to provide on the campus of the public junior college a dropout recovery program for students described by Subsection (b) to successfully complete and receive a diploma from a high school of the appropriate partnering school district. (a-1) A public junior college with a service area located wholly or partly in a county with a population of more than three million may enter into an articulation agreement described by Subsection (a) with any school district located wholly or partly in a county with a population of more than three million. (b) A person who is under 26 years of age is eligible to enroll in a dropout recovery program under this subchapter if the person: (1) must complete not more than three course credits to complete the curriculum requirements for the foundation high school program for high school graduation; or (2) has failed to perform satisfactorily on an end-of-course assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023(c) or an assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023(c) as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007. (c) A public junior college under this section shall: (1) design a dropout recovery curriculum that includes career and technology education courses that lead to industry or career certification; (2) integrate into the dropout recovery curriculum research-based strategies to assist students in becoming able academically to pursue postsecondary education, including: (A) high quality, college readiness instruction with strong academic and social supports; (B) secondary to postsecondary bridging that builds college readiness skills, provides a plan for college completion, and ensures transition counseling; and (C) information concerning appropriate supports available in the first year of postsecondary enrollment to ensure postsecondary persistence and success, to the extent funds are available for the purpose; (3) offer advanced academic and transition opportunities, including dual credit courses and college preparatory courses, such as advanced placement courses; and (4) coordinate with each partnering school district to provide in the articulation agreement that the district retains accountability for student attendance, student completion of high school course requirements, and student performance on assessment instruments as necessary for the student to receive a diploma from a high school of the partnering school district. (c-1) A public junior college under this section may partner with a public technical institute, as defined by Section 61.003, to provide, as part of the dropout recovery program curriculum, career and technology education courses that lead to industry or career certification. (d) A dropout recovery program provided under this subchapter must comply with the requirements of Sections 29.081(e) and (f). Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 643 (S.B. 975), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1186 (H.B. 3708), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011. Amended by: Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 155 (S.B. 860), Sec. 1, eff. May 24, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 211 (H.B. 5), Sec. 24(a), eff. June 10, 2013. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1177 (S.B. 1004), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2015.