Chapter 102. Educational Programs
Subchapter A. Grants

Statutory Authority: The provisions of this Subchapter A issued under the Texas Education Code, §51.603 and §51.605, unless otherwise noted.

§102.1. State Engineering and Science Recruitment Fund (SENSR) Grant Program.

(a)  Purpose. In accordance with the Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 51, Subchapter M, the purpose of the State Engineering and Science Recruitment Fund (SENSR) grant program is to support the recruitment of women and minorities into engineering and science programs. The SENSR grant fund also provides assistance in preparing women and minorities for, or participating in, programs leading to an undergraduate degree in engineering or science from a university or college.

(b)  Administration. The SENSR fund shall be administered by the commissioner of education as provided by the TEC, §51.603.

(c)  Application. In order to participate in the SENSR program, eligible entities must submit an application in a format prescribed by the commissioner of education and by a date set by the commissioner in the application. The application must provide for an eligible entity to:

(1)  demonstrate compliance with the criteria established in the TEC, §51.606(a);

(2)  estimate the number of initial student participants;

(3)  describe the organization's current or proposed methodology for maintaining records for tracking student progress between one project and another;

(4)  describe how the projects interact with each other in moving female and/or underrepresented minority group students along a continuum of programs and into the disciplines in science, engineering, or mathematics related to science and engineering in institutions of higher education;

(5)  describe techniques for sharing information about program experience, exemplary practices, etc., among the organization's various programs; and

(6)  describe how the organization ensures that minority higher education institutions and community colleges are involved in the programs and how concentrations of disadvantaged youth may also be served.

(d)  Allocation. As required in the TEC, §51.605, the SENSR fund shall be allocated by the commissioner of education in proportion to the percentage of women and underrepresented minority group students participating in eligible programs.

(1)  For any program, funds provided may not exceed an amount designated by the commissioner of education or 50% of the contributions received by the program in the preceding fiscal year, whichever is less.

(2)  Project funding for a subsequent year will be based on satisfactory progress of the previous year's objectives and activities and on general budget approval by the commissioner of education and the state legislature.

(3)  Funds shall be allocated to programs that ensure compliance with criteria established in the TEC, §51.605(a).

(e)  Use of funds. Funds may be requested only for those items that are reasonable and necessary for accomplishing the objectives of the program as defined in the program application. Funds granted through this project must be used for those purposes described in the application. Grant recipients may elect to use additional resources and other sources of financial support to help maximize the effectiveness of the project goals and objectives.

(f)  Audit of funds. The Texas Education Agency may audit, disallow, and recover funds. A decision to award, audit, disallow, or recover funds by the commissioner or commissioner's designee is final.

(g)  Evaluation. As part of its annual evaluation, required in the TEC, §51.608, each grant recipient must provide the following information in the format designated by the commissioner of education:

(1)  data related to the recruitment efforts;

(2)  the total number of students who actually participated in the program; and

(3)  a final report on the use of funds and activities conducted, as well as information related to the achievement of the stated objectives.

Source: The provisions of this §102.1 adopted to be effective May 28, 2006, 31 TexReg 4196.

For additional information, email rules@tea.state.tx.us.