Subject: Textbook Funds to Purchase College Textbooks (Concurrent Enrollment)
TO THE ADMINISTRATOR ADDRESSED:
A number of school administrators have inquired about the possibility of the agency using state textbook funds to purchase college textbooks used by high school students who are enrolled in college courses and receiving state graduation credit. The agency has previously told school districts they should purchase textbooks for students who are counted in attendance for ADA purposes. Please be aware of the following changes.
· For high school students who will be enrolling in college courses during the spring semester 2000 and beyond, and receiving state graduation credit for the courses, the state will reimburse a school district for the cost of college textbooks up to the maximum cost paid by the state for the state-adopted textbooks in that subject.
· Students who purchase college textbooks while enrolled in high school have generally retained ownership of the textbooks at the end of the course. This will not be the case if the state reimburses the district for the cost of college textbooks. The state will own the textbooks and they will be counted in the school district's inventory of state-purchased textbooks. School districts may sell the college textbooks to the students if they choose to do so and remit to the agency the amount paid by the students. Adjustments will then be made in the districts' inventory of statepurchased textbooks. The agency will not accept returns of textbooks purchased under this policy.
· School districts must submit purchasing information, such as an invoice, to the textbook administration division to receive reimbursement. In addition, the school district should inform the agency of the specific course that is being counted toward state graduation.
· School districts must apply for up to a three-year waiver of the requirements of the Texas Education Code, Section 31.101, to be reimbursed under this policy. Waiver requests need not be filed for each student, course, or textbook, only the district as a whole. No waiver will be granted under this process for textbooks to be used in high school classes, but only for courses taught by faculty of an accredited institution of higher education for state graduation credit and credit towards a bachelor's or associate's degree.
. Additional information on high school credit for college courses can be found in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 11, §74.25, High School Credit for College Courses.
The waiver request form is available in the Waivers section of the Texas Education Agency web page, www.tea.state.tx.us. Please contact Robert Leos in the textbook division for additional procedural information on reimbursement. He can be reached at 512-463-9601.
We hope that this policy change will enable school districts to better meet the needs of their high school students enrolled in college level courses.
Sincerely yours,
Jim Nelson
Commissioner of Education
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For further information on this topic, contact Robert Leos Textbook Administration at (512)463-9601.