The bill, H.B. No. 277, aims to enhance outreach efforts to ensure that eligible students in foster care or other residential care are aware of tuition and fee exemptions available at public institutions of higher education. It amends Sections 54.366(b) and 54.367(b) of the Education Code to require the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to develop outreach programs specifically targeting students in grades 9 through 12. The outreach programs must provide informational materials about the exemptions to residential child-care facilities, foster parents, and schools offering grades nine or above.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new section, 54.3671, which mandates the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in collaboration with the Department of Family and Protective Services, to create a streamlined eligibility determination and application process for these tuition and fee exemptions. This process aims to reduce administrative burdens by minimizing data collection and allowing students to apply electronically. It also includes provisions for automatic submission of eligibility documentation to the relevant institutions for students deemed eligible.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 54.366, Education Code 54.367 (Education Code 54)