Bill Caption

Relating to a study and report by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on the feasibility of providing off-campus employment positions through the Texas college work-study program.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

No fiscal implication to local governments is anticipated.  

Bill Analysis

SB 947 would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to conduct a study on providing off-campus work-study employment for an existing work-study program. The study would identify the best practices for developing partnerships with employers to provide off-campus employment positions, careers and industries well-suited for the off-campus work-study program, current barriers that public junior colleges face in developing partnerships with off-campus employers, and any public junior colleges that demonstrate strong potential for participation in a pilot program. The report is required for submission to the governor, lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over higher education no later than December 1, 2016.

Vote Recommendation Notes

This bill positively impacts our principle of free markets, therefore we support this legislation. A study on providing off-campus work-study employment is a step in the right direction of implementing these type of job opportunities into the existing program.  Non-profits (including schools) pay 25% of the student's wages while the state pays 75%. A private sector employer would pay 50% of the student's wages while the state pays 50%. Placing students in private sector jobs will reduce subsidized labor for the school, allow students to develop skills in the private sector they could use after college, and potentially reduce costs for the program.