Sec. 302.0031. COLLEGE CREDIT FOR HEROES PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.

(b) The commission shall establish and administer the College Credit for Heroes program to identify, develop, and support methods to maximize academic or workforce education credit awarded by institutions of higher education to veterans and military servicemembers for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service in order to expedite the entry of veterans and military servicemembers into the workforce.

(c) The commission shall work cooperatively with other state agencies, including the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, public junior colleges, and other institutions of higher education, to accomplish the purposes of this section.

(d) The commission may award grants to state, local, or private entities that perform activities related to the purposes of this section.

(e) The commission shall administer the program using money previously appropriated to the commission or received from federal or other sources.

(f) The commission may adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section.

(g) The commission, after consultation with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, shall include in the commission's supplemental annual report to the legislature and the governor under Section 301.065(c):

(1) the results of any grants awarded under this section;

(2) the best practices for veterans and military servicemembers to achieve maximum academic or workforce education credit at institutions of higher education for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service;

(3) measures needed to facilitate the award of academic or workforce education credit by institutions of higher education for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service;

(4) other related measures needed to facilitate the entry of trained, qualified veterans and military servicemembers into the workforce;

(5) the number of academic or workforce education semester credit hours awarded under the program and applied toward a degree or certification program at an institution of higher education during the most recent academic year, disaggregated by the subject area for which the credit hours are awarded; and

(6) the number of transfer credit hours awarded under the program and applied toward a degree or certification program at an institution of higher education during the most recent academic year.

(h) For purposes of Section 33.007(b)(11), Education Code, the commission, in cooperation with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, shall develop and annually make available to each school district and each open-enrollment charter school that offers a high school program informational materials regarding the availability of college credit awarded by institutions of higher education to veterans and military servicemembers for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service, including information regarding the program under this section.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 931 (S.B. 1736), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.

Amended by:

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1164 (S.B. 806), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2015.

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 238 (H.B. 493), Sec. 1, eff. January 1, 2018.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 37 (H.B. 114), Sec. 2, eff. May 16, 2019.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 266 (S.B. 1413), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2019.