By: Giddings, Koop, Anchia,	H.B. No. 3836
	Anderson of Dallas, Meyer, et al.

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education
	Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer
	early childhood education baccalaureate degree programs.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 130.0012, Education Code, is amended by
	adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (g-1) and amending Subsection
	(g) to read as follows:
	(b-1)  The coordinating board shall authorize a
	baccalaureate degree program in early childhood education at each
	public junior college located in a county with a population of 2.2
	million or more and adjacent to a county with a population of more
	than 600,000 if:
	(1)  the county in which the public junior college is
	located has a demonstrated initial need for at least 3,000 early
	childhood educators;
	(2)  the degree program curriculum is approved by the
	independent school districts located in the county that
	collectively represent at least 51 percent of the student
	population enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade; and
	(3)  one of the following:
	(A)  before November 1, 2015, a regional public
	university located in the county in which the public junior college
	is located or an immediately adjacent county is unable to obtain the
	approval of the independent school districts located in the county
	in which the public junior college is located that collectively
	represent at least 51 percent of the student population enrolled in
	kindergarten through 12th grade for a detailed plan to:
	(i)  expand degree output of early childhood
	and elementary certified teachers to collectively meet the
	three-year average hiring demands of the independent school
	districts located in the county in which the public junior college
	is located and immediately adjacent counties, including producing
	more prekindergarten teachers to support the planned increases in
	prekindergarten enrollment for all public schools;
	(ii)  implement an early childhood education
	curriculum; and
	(iii)  fund the expansion of current or
	development of new early childhood education programs, which does
	not include state funding for new facilities; or
	(B)  before September 1, 2017, a regional public
	university that received the approval of independent school
	districts as described by Paragraph (A) is unable to demonstrate:
	(i)  the necessary current student
	enrollment to produce sufficient early childhood and elementary
	certified teachers within the next four years to meet the existing
	hiring demands of the independent school districts located in the
	county in which the public junior college is located and
	immediately adjacent counties based on historical three-year
	averages, including producing more prekindergarten teachers to
	support the planned increases in prekindergarten enrollment for all
	public schools; and
	(ii)  implementation of an early childhood
	education curriculum meeting the expressed needs of the independent
	school districts located in the county in which the public junior
	college is located that collectively represent at least 51 percent
	of the student population enrolled in kindergarten through 12th
	grade.
	(b-2)  The coordinating board may not subsequently terminate
	authorization to offer an early childhood baccalaureate degree
	program granted under Subsection (b-1) on the ground that
	implementation of the degree program reduces the workforce need to
	a level that is below the minimal threshold specified in Subsection
	(b-1)(1).
	(g)  Except as provided by Subsection (g-1), in [In] its
	recommendations to the legislature relating to state funding for
	public junior colleges, the coordinating board shall recommend that
	a public junior college receive substantially the same state
	support for junior-level and senior-level courses offered under
	this section as that provided to a general academic teaching
	institution for substantially similar courses.  In determining the
	contact hours attributable to students enrolled in a junior-level
	or senior-level course offered under this section used to determine
	a public junior college's proportionate share of state
	appropriations under Section 130.003, the coordinating board shall
	weigh those contact hours as necessary to provide the junior
	college the appropriate level of state support to the extent state
	funds for those courses are included in the appropriations.
	This
	subsection does not prohibit the legislature from directly
	appropriating state funds to support junior-level and senior-level
	courses offered under this section.
	(g-1)  A degree program created under Subsection (b-1) may be
	funded only by a public junior college's proportionate share of
	state appropriations under Section 130.003, local funds, and
	private sources.  This subsection does not require the legislature
	to appropriate state funds to support a degree program created
	under Subsection (b-1).
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.