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.

Source Note: The provisions of this §800.501 adopted to be effective January 25, 2021, 46 TexReg 577; amended to be effective February 26, 2024, 49 TexReg 1101