Sec. 61.0764. MEDICAL DUAL CREDIT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The board shall develop and implement a pilot program under which a licensed hospital may offer dual credit courses to high school students enrolled in a school district in partnership with the district.

(b) The board shall select one licensed hospital located in a county that borders the United Mexican States and that has a population of at least 700,000 and not more than 800,000 to participate in the pilot program. The hospital must be accredited by The Joint Commission and:

(1) have been issued:

(A) a certificate of approval to offer a program of instruction by the Texas Workforce Commission under Subchapter C, Chapter 132; or

(B) a certificate of authority to award a degree for a program of study by the board under Subchapter G of this chapter;

(2) be accredited to offer a degree program by the appropriate recognized regional accrediting agency; or

(3) must:

(A) have entered into a partnership with an institution of higher education to offer dual credit courses under the pilot program; and

(B) be seeking authorization to offer a program of instruction or study as described by Subdivision (1) or accreditation to offer a degree program as described by Subdivision (2).

(c) The licensed hospital selected under Subsection (b):

(1) may offer under the pilot program only dual credit courses that are in the curriculum of the hospital's program of instruction or study or degree program described by Subsection (b)(1), (2), or (3), as applicable; and

(2) subject to Subdivision (1) and Subsection (d), shall determine the content of each dual credit course offered under the pilot program with the goal of ensuring that the course is transferable for course credit applied toward a certificate or degree at an institution of higher education.

(d) The licensed hospital selected under Subsection (b) must design the dual credit courses offered under the pilot program to enable students to earn a variety of certifications, certificates, and degrees, including at least one certification or certificate while the student is in high school. The available certifications, certificates, and degrees must be selected based on:

(1) the needs of the hospital;

(2) the terms of the hospital's agreements with partnering school districts to provide the dual credit courses under the pilot program; and

(3) the goal of preparing students for employment in the health care field.

(e) A student enrolled in a dual credit course offered under the pilot program is entitled to the benefits of the Foundation School Program for the time spent by the student on that course, in accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner of education.

(f) A student may not be charged for tuition, fees, or required textbooks or other instructional materials for a dual credit course offered under the pilot program. The school district in which the student is enrolled is responsible for the cost of the student's tuition, fees, or required textbooks or other instructional materials for that course to the extent that those amounts are not waived by the licensed hospital.

(g) The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.

Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 508 (H.B. 2937), Sec. 1, eff. June 9, 2017.