89R13674 CMO-F
	By: Paxton	S.B. No. 2687

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to establishing the Child-Care Professional Pathway
	program.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
	amended by adding Section 29.919 to read as follows:
	Sec. 29.919.  CHILD-CARE PROFESSIONAL PATHWAY PROGRAM. (a)
	In this section:
	(1)  "Certificate program" and "institution of higher
	education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
	(2)  "Program" means the Child-Care Professional
	Pathway program established under this section.
	(b)  The commissioner shall establish and administer the
	Child-Care Professional Pathway program to provide opportunities
	for students to concurrently earn high school diplomas and
	certificates from institutions of higher education.
	(c)  The commissioner shall approve for participation in the
	program partnerships between school districts or open-enrollment
	charter schools and institutions of higher education to provide
	courses in a non-duplicative sequence of progressive achievement
	that lead to:
	(1)  a high school diploma; and
	(2)  completion of:
	(A)  a Child Development Associate certificate
	program with a successful job placement rate in the field of
	professional child care; or
	(B)  an associate degree in human development,
	psychology, sociology, applied science in early childhood
	education, or another discipline relevant to the field of
	professional child care.
	(d)  A partnership participating in the program must:
	(1)  enable the school district or open-enrollment
	charter school to provide at least one course of study described by
	Subsection (c) through a partnership with an institution of higher
	education under the program;
	(2)  provide for a course of study described by
	Subsection (c) that enables a participating student in grade level
	11 or 12 to concurrently:
	(A)  enroll in a certificate or degree program
	described by Subsection (c) at the partnering institution of higher
	education under which the student may receive instruction from an
	instructor employed by the institution and any appropriate
	work-based learning opportunities from the institution and earn:
	(i)  a Child Development Associate
	credential; or
	(ii)  another credential, including a
	certificate and associate degree that may be earned concurrently
	under a hybrid program approved by commissioner rule; and
	(B)  satisfy high school graduation requirements
	and receive a high school diploma;
	(3)  require the partnering school district or
	open-enrollment charter school to permit all district or school
	students in grade level 11 or 12 to enroll in a course of study
	provided under Subdivision (2);
	(4)  be governed by an articulation agreement between
	the partnering school district or open-enrollment charter school
	and institution of higher education; and
	(5)  meet any other requirements established by
	commissioner rule.
	(e)  A course of study provided under the program must be
	provided at no cost to the student.
	(f)  The commissioner may approve the substitution of one
	credit in a subject area required for high school graduation under
	Section 28.025 with one credit in a child-care professional
	education course provided by an institution of higher education
	under the program that substantially covers the essential knowledge
	and skills of the course for which it is substituted.
	(g)  A child-care professional education course authorized
	as a substitute credit under Subsection (f) may not count:
	(1)  for more than one credit toward the student's high
	school graduation requirements; or
	(2)  as a credit for more than one subject area.
	(h)  Time that a student spends participating in the program
	is counted as part of the minimum number of instructional hours
	required for a student to be considered a full-time student in
	average daily attendance for purposes of Section 48.005.
	(i)  Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent a
	student's participation in child-care professional education
	courses before the student begins participating in the program.
	(j)  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
	administer the program.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026
	school year.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.