The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter,
shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise.
(1) Academic resiliency--A student's ability to persist
and to academically succeed despite adversity.
(2) Academic skill intake assessment--A formal and/or
informal assessment used at intake to gather information on a student's
current knowledge and skills in specific academic areas (for example,
literacy and numeracy). That information is then used to determine
the student's appropriate instructional level as well as accommodations
and/or remediation that the student needs.
(3) Career Pathway--A combination of rigorous and high-quality
education, training, and other services that:
(A) aligns with the skill needs of industries in the
economy of the state or regional economy involved;
(B) prepares an individual to be successful in any
of a full range of secondary or postsecondary education options;
(C) includes counseling to support an individual in
achieving the individual's education and career goals;
(D) includes, as appropriate, education offered concurrently
with, and in the same context as, workforce preparation activities
and training for a specific occupation or occupational cluster;
(E) organizes education, training, and other services
to meet the particular needs of an individual in a manner that accelerates
the educational and career advancement of the individual to the extent
practicable;
(F) enables an individual to attain a secondary school
diploma or its recognized equivalent, and at least one recognized
postsecondary credential; and
(G) helps an individual enter or advance within a specific
occupation or occupational cluster (29 USC §3102, Definitions).
(4) Eligible participant--An individual who is over
the age of compulsory school attendance, as prescribed by Texas Education
Code, §25.085, and as required by the Agency, must:
(A) be a Texas resident;
(B) lack a high school diploma;
(C) be authorized to work in the United States; and
(D) be able to work immediately upon graduation from
the program.
(5) Employability skills certification program--Refers
to a certification in general skills that are necessary for success
in the labor market at all employment levels and in all industry sectors.
Employability skills include problem-solving, collaboration, organization,
and adaptability.
(6) Half credit--The standard award of credit given
for a course that lasts one semester, and which is based on the Carnegie
Unit. When determining credits, qualified providers should consider
instructional time plus the amount of time that the student would
take to complete the coursework in a high school semester or academic
year. In traditional education models, a student typically attends
a class for 55 to 60 minutes a day for four or five days a week in
addition to studying independently.
(7) High school diploma--A credential awarded by an
entity, based on completion of all state graduation requirements as
outlined in Texas Education Code, §28.025 and §39.023 and
19 TAC Chapter 74 (relating to Curriculum Requirements) and Chapter
101 (relating to Assessment).
(8) Industry-recognized credential--A state-approved
credential verifying an individual's qualifications and competence
and is issued by a third party with the relevant authority to issue
such credentials (US Department of Labor, 2010). Industry-recognized
credentials offered by qualified providers must align with the Agency's
mission to target high-growth, high-demand, and emerging occupations
that are crucial to the state and local workforce economies, and must
reflect the target occupations for the workforce areas in which services
will be provided. Qualified providers may also reference the list
of industry-based certifications for public school accountability
published by the Texas Education Agency.
(9) Learning Plan Development--The process by which
an individualized learning plan is developed after student intake;
it is maintained through coaching and mentoring.
(10) One credit--The standard award credit given for
a course that lasts a full academic year, and which is based on the
Carnegie Unit. When determining credits, qualified providers should
consider instructional time plus the amount of time that the student
would take to complete the coursework in a high school semester or
academic year. In traditional education models, a student typically
attends a class for 55 to 60 minutes a day for four or five days a
week, in addition to studying independently.
(11) Program--Refers to the Workforce Diploma Pilot
Program, set forth in Texas Labor Code, Chapter 317.
(12) Qualified provider--A provider that may participate
in the Program and receive reimbursement and that:
(A) is a public, nonprofit, or private entity that
is:
(i) authorized under the Texas Education Code or other
state law to grant a high school diploma; or
(ii) accredited by a regional accrediting body, as
established by the US Secretary of Education, pursuant to 20 USCS §1099b,
Recognition of Accrediting Agency or Association and working in partnership
with an entity described by clause (i) of this subparagraph;
(B) has at least two years of experience providing
dropout reengagement services to adult students, including recruitment,
learning plan development, and proactive coaching and mentoring, leading
to the obtainment of a high school diploma;
(C) is equipped to:
(i) provide:
(I) academic skill intake assessment and transcript
evaluations;
(II) remediation coursework in literacy and numeracy;
(III) a research-validated academic resiliency assessment
and intervention;
(IV) employability skills development aligned to employer
needs;
(V) career pathways coursework;
(VI) preparation for the attainment of industry-recognized
credentials; and
(VII) career placement services; and
(ii) develop a learning plan that integrates academic
requirements and career goals; and
(D) offers a course catalog that includes all courses
necessary to meet high school graduation requirements in Texas, as
authorized under 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter B (relating to Graduation
Requirements).
(13) Regional accrediting body--Must meet the criteria
established by the US Secretary of Education pursuant to 20 USCS §1099b,
Recognition of Accrediting Agency or Association, and appear on the
US Secretary of Education's list of federally recognized accrediting
agencies in the Federal Register, as
stated in 34 CFR §602.2. A copy of the list may be obtained from
the US Department of Education.
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