Sec. 29.904. PLAN TO INCREASE ENROLLMENT IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION

(a) This section applies only to a school district with one or more high schools that:

(1) during the preceding five years, have had an average of at least 26 students in the high school graduating class; and

(2) for any two consecutive years during the preceding five years, have been among the lowest 10 percent of high schools in this state in the percentage of students graduating from the high school and enrolling for the following academic year in an institution of higher education.

(b) The agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall collaborate in identifying each school district to which this section applies. Not later than May 1 of each year:

(1) the agency shall notify a district to which this section applies of the applicability of this section to the district unless the district is operating under a plan required by this section; and

(2) the coordinating board shall notify each public institution of higher education in this state in closest geographic proximity to a district to which this section applies of the applicability of this section to the district unless the district is operating under a plan required by this section.

(c) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, not later than August 1 of the year in which a school district receives notice under Subsection (b), the district shall enter into an agreement with the public institution of higher education in this state in closest geographic proximity to the district to develop a plan to increase the percentage of the district's graduating seniors who enroll in an institution of higher education for the academic year following graduation. The public institution of higher education in this state in closest geographic proximity to the district shall enter into an agreement under this subsection unless that institution of higher education or the district recruits another public institution of higher education in this state to enter into that agreement. A district and the public institution of higher education entering into the agreement with the district may also enter into an agreement with one or more other public institutions of higher education in this state to participate in developing the plan.

(d) A plan developed under this section:

(1) must establish clear, achievable goals for increasing the percentage of the school district's graduating seniors, particularly the graduating seniors attending a high school described by Subsection (a), who enroll in an institution of higher education for the academic year following graduation;

(2) must establish an accurate method of measuring progress toward the goals established under Subdivision (1) that may include the percentage of district high school students and the percentage of students attending a district high school described by Subsection (a) who:

(A) are enrolled in a course for which a student may earn college credit, such as an advanced placement or international baccalaureate course or a course offered through concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of higher education;

(B) are enrolled in courses that meet the curriculum requirements for the recommended or advanced high school program as determined under Section 28.025;

(C) have submitted a free application for federal student aid (FAFSA);

(D) are exempt under Section 51.3062(p) or (q) from administration of an assessment instrument under Section 51.3062 or have performed successfully on an assessment instrument under Section 51.3062;

(E) graduate from high school;

(F) graduate from an institution of higher education; and

(G) have taken college entrance examinations and the average score of those students on the examinations;

(3) must cover a period of at least five years; and

(4) may be directed at district students at any level of primary or secondary education.

(e) A school district shall file the plan with the commissioner of education and the commissioner of higher education.

(f) A school district must implement the plan at the beginning of the school year following the year during which the district receives notice under Subsection (b).

(g) A school district may revise the plan as necessary in response to achieving or failing to achieve goals under the plan.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 795, Sec. 1, eff. Sept 1, 2001. Renumbered from Education Code Sec. 29.903 by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1275, Sec. 2(16), eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 895 , Sec. 43, eff. June 19, 2009.