SB1961 - Relating to the reporting of data relating to postsecondary education and workforce trends by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission, to performance tier funding under the public junior college finance program, and to a biennial regional labor demand assessment by the coordinating board.

  89R14958 RDR-F     By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 1961       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the reporting of data relating to postsecondary   education and workforce trends by the Texas Higher Education   Coordinating Board and the Texas Workforce Commission, to   performance tier funding under the public junior college finance   program, and to a biennial regional labor demand assessment by the   coordinating board.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is   amended by adding Sections 61.09023 and 61.09096 to read as   follows:           Sec.   61.09023.     REPORTING ON POSTSECONDARY OUTCOMES. (a)   The board shall post on the board's Internet website the following   de-identified data, disaggregated by institution of higher   education and matriculating cohort:                 (1)     for students who graduate from a degree,   certificate, or other credential program:                       (A)  the program completed;                       (B)     the employment status of graduates from each   program, including, if known, the number of those graduates who   enrolled in additional postsecondary education; and                       (C)     the counties of employment and residence,   industries of employment, occupations, and wages of graduates from   each program; and                 (2)     for students who have not graduated from a degree,   certificate, or other credential program and are no longer enrolled   in that program:                       (A)     the program in which the student was most   recently enrolled;                       (B)     the number of credits remaining before the   student would complete the program;                       (C)     the student's employment status, including,   if known, whether the student is enrolled in another degree,   certificate, or other credential program at an institution of   higher education; and                       (D)     the counties and industries of employment,   occupations, and wages of those students.           (b)     The board shall ensure the data posted under Subsection   (a) complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of   1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g).           Sec.   61.09096.     BIENNIAL REGIONAL LABOR DEMAND ASSESSMENT.   (a)   The board, in consultation with the Texas Workforce   Commission, shall conduct a biennial assessment of regional labor   demands across the state to allow institutions of higher education   to better align educational programs with workforce needs.   In   conducting the assessment, the board shall:                 (1)     analyze current and projected workforce needs in   each region of the state over a 10-year period, disaggregated by   wage, industry, occupational field, full-time and part-time   status, county of primary employment, county of residence, and   remote work status;                 (2)     identify for each region and county the industries   and occupations that lead to a self-sufficient wage, as determined   under Section 2308A.012, Government Code, based on local labor   market conditions;                 (3)     provide a list of degrees, certificates, or other   credentials included in the library of credentials established   under Section 2308A.007, Government Code, that lead to jobs in the   industries or occupations identified under Subdivision (2); and                 (4)     provide information on outcomes relating to each   degree, certificate, or other credential listed under Subdivision   (3), including:                       (A)     the median wage earned by students who   graduated with the degree, certificate, or other credential in 1   year, 5 years, and 10 years after completion of the program; and                       (B)     job placement rates in six months of   completion of the degree, certificate, or other credential.           (b)     To assist the board in conducting the assessment under   this section, the board, in coordination with other state agencies,   including the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Education   Agency, and other relevant entities, shall:                 (1)     access labor market information, employment data,   and workforce projections; and                 (2)     ensure that educational and training programs,   credentialing pathways, and career preparation efforts are   informed by comprehensive and accurate labor market data.           (c)     The board shall provide the labor market information and   workforce projections obtained from the assessment conducted under   this section to institutions of higher education, school districts,   and open-enrollment charter schools to support program development   aligned with regional workforce needs.           (d)     Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,   the board shall report the results of the assessment conducted   under this section to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the   speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing   legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over higher   education.          SECTION 2.  Section 130A.101(c), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (c)  The measurable outcomes considered for purposes of   performance tier funding are:                (1)  the number of credentials of value awarded, as   determined by the coordinating board under Section 130A.102 [ based   on analyses of wages and costs associated with the credential ],   including degrees, certificates, and other credentials from credit   and non-credit programs that equip students for continued learning   and greater earnings in the state economy, with an additional   weight for placement of students who earn that credential in a   high-demand occupation, as defined by coordinating board rule, or   an appropriate proxy determined by the coordinating board based on   available data;                (2)  the number of students who earn at least 15   semester credit hours or the equivalent at the junior college   district and:                      (A)  subsequently transfer to a general academic   teaching institution, as that term is defined by Section 61.003; or                      (B)  are enrolled in a structured co-enrollment   program, as authorized by coordinating board rule; and                (3)  the number of students who complete a sequence of   at least 15 semester credit hours or the equivalent for dual credit   or dual enrollment courses, as defined by coordinating board rule,   that apply toward academic or workforce program requirements at the   postsecondary level.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 130A, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 130A.102 to read as follows:           Sec.   130A.102.     CREDENTIALS OF VALUE. (a) For purposes of   Section 130A.101(c)(1), the coordinating board shall designate a   postsecondary credential as a credential of value if the   credential:                 (1)     is aligned with regional or state workforce   demand;                 (2)     provides a positive return on investment within a   time frame relatively proportional, as determined by the   coordinating board, to the duration of the certificate or degree   program at a public junior college through which a person may earn   the credential; and                 (3)     ensures a person who graduates from a public   junior college with the credential achieves a minimum earnings   threshold as determined under Subsection (b).           (b)     The coordinating board by rule shall establish a minimum   earnings threshold for a credential of value.   In establishing the   threshold, the coordinating board must consider:                 (1)     the time frame in which earnings from the   credential exceed the total cost of attendance at a public junior   college, including foregone wages; and                 (2)     whether the earnings meet or exceed the amount of   the self-sufficient wage determined under Section 2308A.012,   Government Code, within a time frame relatively proportional, as   determined by the coordinating board, to the duration of the   certificate or degree program at a public junior college through   which a person may earn the credential.           (c)     The coordinating board by rule may designate a   postsecondary credential as a credential of value regardless of   whether the credential meets the requirements under Subsection (a)   if the coordinating board determines the designation necessary. A   designation under this subsection expires on the second anniversary   of the date on which the designation was made unless renewed by the   coordinating board.   In determining whether a designation is   necessary, the coordinating board shall consider:                 (1)  workforce demand in critical industries;                 (2)  alignment with state economic priorities;                 (3)  public service or essential workforce roles; and                 (4)     other considerations the coordinating board deems   necessary.          SECTION 4.  Section 204.0025, Labor Code, is amended to read   as follows:          Sec. 204.0025.  ADDITIONAL WORKFORCE DATA REPORTING. The   commission shall [ It is the intent of the legislature that the   commission, subject to the availability of federal funding or other   resources for the purpose, ] work with employers to enhance the   reporting of employment and earnings data by employers to the   commission as part of an employer's routine wage filings under this   subtitle or commission rule and consistent with federal law and   regulations. The enhanced wage filings must include information   related to wage, industry, occupational field, full-time and   part-time status, county of primary employment, county of   residence, remote work status, [ occupation ] and other important   employment information necessary to conduct the assessment   required under Section 61.09096, Education Code [ that would improve   the state's labor market information ].          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.