(a) The commission may award a grant for the development of new career and technical education courses or programs at public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, school districts and open-enrollment charter schools, and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, juvenile boards, and juvenile probation departments described under Section 134.007 .
(b) A grant received under this section may be used only:
(1) to support courses or programs that prepare students for career employment in occupations that are identified by local businesses as being in high demand, including courses offered for dual credit;
(2) to finance initial costs of career and technical education course or program development, including the costs of constructing or renovating facilities, purchasing equipment, and other expenses associated with the development of a new course;
(3) to finance a career and technical education course or program that leads to a license, certificate, or postsecondary degree; and
(4) to finance the acquisition, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of technology solutions necessary to support a course or program described by Subdivision (1), (2), or (3).
(c) In awarding a grant under this section, the commission shall primarily consider the potential economic returns to the state from the development of the career and technical education course or program. The commission may also consider whether the course or program:
(1) is part of a new, emerging industry or high-demand occupation;
(2) offers new or expanded dual credit career and technical educational opportunities in public high schools;
(3) offers new career and technical educational opportunities not previously available:
(A) to students enrolled at any campus in the Windham School District; or
(B) as part of any existing educational programs that are offered in facilities operated wholly or partly by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, a juvenile board, or a juvenile probation department, including a facility operated by a private vendor under a contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, a juvenile board, or a juvenile probation department; or
(4) is provided in cooperation with other public junior colleges, public technical institutes, or public state colleges across existing service areas.
(d) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, a public junior college, public technical institute, public state college, or school district or open-enrollment charter school described under Section 134.007 must provide matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Section 134.008 . The matching funds may be obtained from any source available to the public junior college, public technical institute, public state college, school district, or open-enrollment charter school, including industry consortia, community or foundation grants, individual contributions, and local governmental agency operating funds.
Added by Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 895 (H.B. 3 ), Sec. 64, eff. June 19, 2009.
