S.B. No. 1887
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the requirements for the early college education
  program and the transfer of course credit among public institutions
  of higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 29.908(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The program must:
               (1)  provide for a course of study that enables a
  participating student to combine high school courses and
  college-level courses during grade levels 9 through 12;
               (2)  allow a participating student to complete high
  school and enroll in a program at an institution of higher education
  that will enable the student to, on or before the fifth anniversary
  of the date of the student's first day of high school, receive a
  high school diploma and either:
                     (A)  an applied associate degree, as defined by
  Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rule; or
                     (B)  an academic associate degree, as defined by
  Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rule, with a completed
  field of study curriculum developed under Section 61.823 that is
  transferable [at least 60 semester credit hours] toward a
  baccalaureate degree at one or more general academic teaching
  institutions, as defined by Section 61.003;
               (3)  include articulation agreements with colleges,
  universities, and technical schools in this state to provide a
  participating student access to postsecondary educational and
  training opportunities at a college, university, or technical
  school; and
               (4)  provide a participating student flexibility in
  class scheduling and academic mentoring.
         SECTION 2.  Section 51.4033, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 51.4033.  REPORT OF NONTRANSFERABLE CREDIT. (a) Not
  later than May [March] 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by
  the coordinating board, each general academic teaching institution
  shall provide to the coordinating board and the legislature a
  report describing any courses in the Lower-Division Academic Course
  Guide Manual or its successor adopted by the coordinating board for
  which a student who transfers to the institution from another
  institution of higher education is not granted:
               (1)  academic credit at the receiving institution; or
               (2)  if the student has declared a major and has not
  changed majors, academic credit toward the student's major at the
  receiving institution.
         (b)  A report required by this section must indicate:
               (1)  the course name and type;
               (2)  which institution of higher education provided
  academic credit for the course; and
               (3)  the reason why the receiving institution did not
  grant academic credit for the course as described by Subsection
  (a), including whether the institution complied with the dispute
  resolution process under Section 61.826.
         SECTION 3.  Section 51.4034(a), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  Not later than May [March] 1 of each year and in the form
  prescribed by the coordinating board, each public junior college
  shall provide to the coordinating board and the legislature a
  report on courses taken by students who, during the preceding
  academic year, transferred to a general academic teaching
  institution or earned an associate degree at the college.
         SECTION 4.  Sections 61.003(11) and (12), Education Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
               (11)  "Degree program" means any grouping of subject
  matter courses which, when satisfactorily completed by a student,
  will entitle the student [him] to:
                     (A)  a degree from a public senior college or
  university or a medical or dental unit; or
                     (B)  an academic associate degree, as defined by
  board rule, or baccalaureate degree from a public junior college.
               (12)  "Certificate program" means a grouping of
  subject-matter courses which, when satisfactorily completed by a
  student, will entitle the student [him] to:
                     (A)  a certificate;
                     (B)  an[,] associate degree, other than an
  academic associate degree, as defined by board rule, from a
  technical institute or junior college; or
                     (C)  [, or] documentary evidence, other than a
  degree, of completion of a course of study at the postsecondary
  level.
         SECTION 5.  Sections 61.822(b) and (c), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core
  curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours, including
  specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core curriculum
  shall be consistent with the common course numbering system
  approved by the board and with the statement, recommendations, and
  rules issued by the board. An institution may have a core
  curriculum of other than 42 semester credit hours only if approved
  by the board. The board by rule may approve a core curriculum of
  fewer than 42 semester credit hours for an associate degree program
  if the board determines that the approval would facilitate the
  award of a degree or transfer of credit consistent with this
  subchapter.
         (c)  If a student successfully completes the [42-hour] core
  curriculum at an institution of higher education, that block of
  courses may be transferred to any other institution of higher
  education and must be substituted for the receiving institution's
  core curriculum. A student shall receive academic credit for each
  of the courses transferred and may not be required to take
  additional core curriculum courses at the receiving institution
  unless the board has approved a larger core curriculum at the
  institution.
         SECTION 6.  Section 61.823, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as
  follows:
         (a-1)  The board by rule may authorize a general academic
  teaching institution to adopt, for each field of study curriculum
  developed by the board for which the institution offers a degree
  program, a set of courses specific to that field of study, for a
  total of at least six semester credit hours or the equivalent, that
  must be completed as part of the field of study curriculum for that
  institution. Each general academic teaching institution that
  adopts a set of courses for a field of study curriculum under this
  subsection shall post on the institution's Internet website in a
  manner easily accessible to students the set of courses with the
  associated course numbers under the common course numbering system.
         (b)  If a student successfully completes a field of study
  curriculum developed by the board, that block of courses may be
  transferred to a general academic teaching institution and, subject
  to completion of the set of courses adopted by the institution for
  that field of study under Subsection (a-1), must be substituted for
  that institution's lower division requirements for the degree
  program for the field of study into which the student transfers, and
  the student shall receive full academic credit toward the degree
  program for the block of courses transferred.
         SECTION 7.  Sections 61.826(c), (d), and (e), Education
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (c)  If an institution of higher education proposes to deny
  the application toward the institution's core curriculum or a field
  of study curriculum developed by the board under Section 61.823 of
  [does not accept] course credit earned by a student at another
  institution of higher education in the other institution's core
  curriculum or in a field of study curriculum, that institution
  must:
               (1)  [shall] give written notice to the student and the
  other institution of that institution's intent to deny [that] the
  application [transfer] of the course credit to the institution's
  core curriculum or field of study curriculum and the reasons for the
  proposed denial;
               (2)  [is denied. The two institutions and the student
  shall] attempt to resolve the application [transfer] of the course
  credit to the institution's core curriculum or field of study
  curriculum with the other institution and the student in accordance
  with this section and board rules;
               (3)  resolve the dispute not later than the 45th day
  after the date on which the student enrolls in that institution; and
               (4)  if[. If] the [transfer] dispute is not resolved to
  the satisfaction of the student or the institution at which the
  credit was earned, [within 45 days after the date the student
  received written notice of the denial, the institution that denies
  the transfer of the course credit shall] notify the commissioner of
  higher education of its denial to apply the course credit to the
  institution's core curriculum or field of study curriculum and the
  reasons for the denial.
         (d)  Not later than the 20th business day after the date the
  commissioner of higher education receives notice of a dispute
  concerning the application of course credit to an institution of
  higher education's core curriculum or field of study curriculum
  under Subsection (c)(4), the [The] commissioner [of higher
  education] or the commissioner's designee shall make the final
  determination about the [a] dispute [concerning the transfer of
  course credit] and give written notice of the determination to the
  involved student and institutions. If the commissioner or the
  commissioner's designee determines that the institution may not
  deny the application of course credit described by Subsection (c)
  to the institution's core curriculum or field of study curriculum,
  the institution shall apply that course credit toward the
  institution's core curriculum or field of study curriculum, as
  applicable. A determination by the commissioner or the
  commissioner's designee under this subsection is final and may not
  be appealed.
         (e)  The board shall:
               (1)  collect data on the types of transfer disputes
  that are reported and the disposition of each case that is
  considered by the commissioner of higher education or the
  commissioner's designee; and
               (2)  post on the board's Internet website a list of each
  case that is considered by the commissioner of higher education or
  the commissioner's designee under this section, including the
  disposition of the case.
         SECTION 8.  Section 61.827(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  In adopting rules regarding the recommended core
  curriculum developed under Section 61.822, the board shall appoint
  a committee to advise the board [use the negotiated rulemaking
  procedures] under Section 2001.031 [Chapter 2008], Government
  Code.
         SECTION 9.  Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 61.834 to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.834.  TEXAS DIRECT ASSOCIATE DEGREE. A public
  junior college, public state college, or public technical institute
  shall award a student a "Texas Direct" associate degree and include
  an appropriate notation on the student's transcript if the student
  completes a field of study curriculum developed by the board under
  Section 61.823 and:
               (1)  the college's core curriculum; or
               (2)  an abbreviated core curriculum related to a
  specific approved field of study curriculum transferable to one or
  more general academic teaching institutions.
         SECTION 10.  This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
  academic year.
         SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect immediately if it
  receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
  effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1887 passed the Senate on
  April 27, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1887 passed the House on
  May 9, 2023, by the following vote:  Yeas 106, Nays 25, two
  present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor