ADMINISTRATION.

(a) The coordinating board shall administer the program and collaborate with eligible employers to provide students employed through the program with employment funded in part by the state.

(b) The coordinating board shall establish criteria to ensure that:

(1) a participating employer is reimbursed under the program at the rate established by the coordinating board only for fully paid eligible wages; and

(2) marketable skills to be strengthened or gained through a student's internship position are identified.

(c) The coordinating board shall develop a standard contract establishing the roles and responsibilities of eligible employers, base wages and minimum work hours for students employed through the program, and any other provisions identified by the coordinating board as necessary to administer the program. The coordinating board shall use the standard contract as a model for the memorandum of understanding required to be entered into by eligible employers.

(d) The coordinating board may use funds appropriated for the Texas college work-study program and the Texas WORKS internship program to establish and maintain an online portal for use by students and participating entities in fulfilling their responsibilities for participation in the Texas WORKS internship program. The coordinating board may use funds appropriated for the Texas college work-study program and the Texas WORKS internship program to cover the expenses and personnel costs of administering and assessing the Texas WORKS internship program.

(e) If funding for the program is insufficient to cover the cost of all students eligible for the program, as provided by coordinating board rule, priority for funding is based on eligibility criteria established by coordinating board rule to further the purposes of the program.

(f) Funds received by students employed through the program as eligible wages are not considered as financial aid for the academic year in which the funds are earned.