(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.

Source Note: The provisions of this §4.23 adopted to be effective September 16, 1994, 19 TexReg 6919; amended to be effective August 1, 2022, 47 TexReg 4558