By: West, et al. S.B. No. 1277     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to an agreement between a school district and public   institution of higher education to provide a dual credit program to   high school students enrolled in the district.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 28.009(b-2), Education Code, as amended   by Chapters 264 (S.B. 1276) and 901 (H.B. 3650), Acts of the 86th   Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, is reenacted and amended to   read as follows:          (b-2)  Any agreement, including a memorandum of   understanding or articulation agreement, between a school district   and public institution of higher education to provide a dual credit   program described by Subsection (b-1) must:                (1)  include specific program goals aligned with the   statewide goals developed under Subsection (b-1);                (2)  establish common advising strategies and   terminology related to dual credit and college readiness;                (3)  provide for the alignment of endorsements   described by Section 28.025(c-1) offered by the district, and dual   credit courses offered under the agreement that apply towards those   endorsements, with postsecondary pathways and credentials at the   institution and industry certifications;                (4)  identify tools, including tools developed by the   agency, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, or the Texas   Workforce Commission, to assist school counselors, students, and   families in selecting endorsements offered by the district and dual   credit courses offered under the agreement;                (5)  establish, or provide a procedure for   establishing, the course credits that may be earned under the   agreement, including by developing a course equivalency crosswalk   or other method for equating high school courses with college   courses and identifying the number of credits that may be earned for   each course completed through the program;                (6)  describe the academic supports and, if applicable,   guidance that will be provided to students participating in the   program;                (7)  establish the district's and the institution's   respective roles and responsibilities in providing the program and   ensuring the quality and instructional rigor of the program;                (8)  state the sources of funding for courses offered   under the program, including, at a minimum, the sources of funding   for tuition, transportation, and any required fees or textbooks for   students participating in the program;                (9)  require the district and the institution to   consider the use of free or low-cost open educational resources in   courses offered under the program; [and]                (10) [(7)]  be posted each year on the district's and   the institution's respective Internet websites; and                (11)  designate at least one employee of the district   or institution as responsible for providing academic advising to a   student who enrolls in a dual credit course under the program before   the student begins the course.          SECTION 2.  Section 28.009(b-2), Education Code, as   reenacted and amended by this Act, applies only to an agreement to   provide a dual credit program entered into or renewed on or after   September 1, 2021. An agreement to provide a dual credit program   entered into or renewed before September 1, 2021, is governed by the   law as it existed at the time the agreement was entered into or   renewed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 3.  To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails   over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021,   relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted   codes.          SECTION 4.  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, 2021.