| (a) Purpose. The High School Cooperative Education
Program is designed to combine high school classroom education with
part-time practical employment experience in office and industrial
arts environments.
(b) High school eligibility. In order to be eligible
to participate in the HSCEP, a high school must:
(1) be located in Texas; and
(2) have a cooperative education program.
(c) Student eligibility. In order to be eligible to
participate in the HSCEP, a high school student must be:
(1) at least 16 years of age;
(2) attending an eligible high school; and
(3) working towards employment as an accounting clerk,
business data entry operator, clerk-typist, file clerk (records management),
general office clerk, information communications clerk, insurance
clerk, receptionist, word processing operator, or industrial equipment
operators.
(d) Application. To apply for the HSCEP, the high school
student must submit a completed application to the high school on
a form prescribed by the department.
(e) Interview. If the high school's cooperative office
refers a student to the department, the student must interview with
the department.
(f) Selection criteria. The department selection is
based upon the student's:
(1) current enrollment and participation in a field
of study related to the assigned work;
(2) skill, knowledge, and ability as related to the
job description;
(3) relevant previous work experience; and
(4) grade point average.
(g) Employment eligibility. If selected, the student
must:
(1) complete a Form I-9 Employment Verification; and
(2) if the student's work assignment in the cooperative
education program will be to a position for which a medical examination
is required under §4.16(a) of this chapter (relating to Medical
Examination), pass the medical examination.
(h) Role of eligible high school. The high school will:
(1) screen and refer the student to the department
based upon the criteria in the job description;
(2) forward the high school student's application to
the department;
(3) schedule the high school student's interview with
the department;
(4) provide the department with the independent school
district's approved cooperative training plan;
(5) visit each student's workplace station at least
once during a grading period; and
(6) provide the department with the independent school
district's evaluation form.
(i) Role of department. To implement this program,
the department will:
(1) provide the high school with a job description,
general information brochures about the department, a copy of the
HSCEP procedure and employment applications;
(2) interview and select the HSCEP student;
(3) enter into a cooperative training plan;
(4) determine the work assignment according to the
department's functional classification system;
(5) consider the HSCEP student eligible for the same
benefits as a part-time employee; and
(6) evaluate the student as provided for in subsection
(l) of this section.
(j) Role of HSCEP student. The student must:
(1) sign a cooperative education program standards
form;
(2) abide by the program's rules and the department's
policies and procedures;
(3) adhere to the established work schedule;
(4) notify the high school's cooperative education
office and the department of any changes in academic status;
(5) meet the academic and conduct standards set forth
by the high school; and
(6) meet the work performance and conduct standards
set forth by the high school and the department.
(k) Duration. A HSCEP student is eligible to work as
a regular part-time employee (15 to 25 hours a week) during the academic
semesters. A cooperative high school student must apply separately
to participate in the department's summer program as a regular employee.
(l) Evaluation. The department will evaluate the HSCEP
student every six weeks by:
(1) using the evaluation form prescribed by the student's
independent school district; and
(2) submitting the evaluation to the high school every
six weeks.
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