Bill Text: TX SB25 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Engrossed

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Relating to measures to facilitate the transfer, academic progress, and timely graduation of students in public higher education.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-14 - Effective immediately [SB25 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-SB25-Engrossed.html

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By: West, et al. S.B. No. 25

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to measures to facilitate the transfer, academic progress,
and timely graduation of students in public higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 51.400 and 51.4033 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.400. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
(2) "General academic teaching institution" and
"institution of higher education" have the meanings assigned by
Section 61.003.
Sec. 51.4033. REPORT OF NONTRANSFERABLE CREDIT. (a) Not
later than September 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by
the coordinating board, each general academic teaching institution
shall provide to the coordinating board 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 academic credit 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.
SECTION 2. Section 51.762, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (j) to read as follows:
(j) In adopting a form under this section, the board shall
ensure that an applicant may indicate on the form the applicant's
consent to an institution of higher education to which the
applicant submits an application for admission to a particular
degree program using the form to, if the institution denies the
applicant admission to that degree program, provide the applicant's
application to other institutions of higher education that offer
the degree program.
SECTION 3. Section 51.9685(a)(2), Education Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(2) "Institution of higher education" has [and "public
junior college" have] the meaning [meanings] assigned by Section
61.003.
SECTION 4. Section 51.9685, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (b), (c), and (g) and adding Subsection (c-2)
to read as follows:
(b) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (c), each
student enrolled in an associate or bachelor's degree program at an
institution of higher education shall file a degree plan with the
institution before [not later than] the end of the [second regular]
semester or term immediately following the semester or term in
which the student earned a cumulative total of 30 [45] or more
semester credit hours for coursework successfully completed by the
student, including transfer courses, international baccalaureate
courses, dual credit courses, and any other course for which the
institution the student attends has awarded the student college
course credit, including course credit awarded by examination.
(c) A student to whom Subsection (b) [this section] applies
who begins the student's first semester or term at an institution of
higher education with 30 [45] or more semester credit hours of
course credit for courses described by Subsection (b) shall file a
degree plan with the institution before [not later than] the end of
that [the student's second regular] semester or term [at the
institution].
(c-2) A student enrolled in a dual credit course at an
institution of higher education and to whom Subsection (b) does not
apply shall file a degree plan with the institution not later than:
(1) the end of the second regular semester or term
immediately following the semester or term in which the student
earned a cumulative total of 15 or more semester credit hours of
course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the
student; or
(2) if the student begins the student's first semester
or term at the institution with 15 or more semester credit hours of
course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the
student, the end of the student's second regular semester or term at
the institution.
(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in
consultation with institutions of higher education, shall [may]
adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section,
including rules to ensure compliance with this section. In
adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the
negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government
Code.
SECTION 5. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 51.96852 and 51.96853 to read as
follows:
Sec. 51.96852. RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES. (a) In this
section:
(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board.
(2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
assigned by Section 61.003.
(b) Each institution of higher education shall develop at
least one recommended course sequence for each undergraduate
certificate or degree program offered by the institution. Each
recommended course sequence must:
(1) identify all required lower-division courses for
the applicable certificate or degree program;
(2) include for each course, if applicable:
(A) the course number or course equivalent under
the common course numbering system approved by the coordinating
board under Section 61.832; and
(B) the course equivalent in the Lower-Division
Academic Course Guide Manual or its successor adopted by the
coordinating board;
(3) be designed to enable a full-time student to
obtain a certificate or degree, as applicable, within:
(A) for a 60-hour degree or certificate program,
two years; or
(B) for a 120-hour degree program, four years;
and
(4) include a specific sequence in which courses
should be completed to ensure completion of the applicable program
within the time frame described by Subdivision (3).
(c) Each institution of higher education shall:
(1) include the recommended course sequences
developed under this section in the institution's course catalog
and on the institution's Internet website; and
(2) submit the recommended course sequences developed
under this section to the coordinating board as provided by
coordinating board rule.
Sec. 51.96853. TRANSFER OF CREDIT FROM LOWER-DIVISION
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS.
(a) In this section:
(1) "Articulation agreement" means a formal written
agreement between a lower-division institution of higher education
and a general academic teaching institution identifying courses
offered by the lower-division institution that must be accepted for
credit toward specific course requirements at the general academic
teaching institution.
(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the
meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(3) "Lower-division institution of higher education"
means a public junior college, public state college, or public
technical institute, as those terms are defined by Section 61.003.
(b) Each general academic teaching institution may enter
into an articulation agreement with a lower-division institution of
higher education for a certificate or degree program for which
students transferring from the lower-division institution to the
general academic teaching institution receive transfer credit.
(c) An articulation agreement entered into under Subsection
(b) on or after September 1, 2019, must, to the greatest extent
practicable, use fields of study curricula developed by the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 61.823.
(d) A general academic teaching institution may extend an
existing articulation agreement entered into under Subsection (b)
to another lower-division institution of higher education with
respect to the transfer of courses from that lower-division
institution of higher education to the general academic teaching
institution, on request by that lower-division institution of
higher education.
(e) An articulation agreement established under this
section may enable a transfer student to receive up to 60 semester
credit hours for courses completed at the lower-division
institution of higher education.
(f) A general academic teaching institution's participation
in an articulation agreement under this section does not affect the
institution's admissions policies.
SECTION 6. Section 51.9715, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as
follows:
(a-1) An institution of higher education, or a school
district that offers international baccalaureate courses, dual
credit courses, or any other course for which an institution of
higher education may award students enrolled at the district
college course credit, including course credit awarded by
examination, may release student information to an institution of
higher education for purposes of transferring course credit to that
institution or enabling the awarding of course credit by that
institution, in accordance with federal law regarding the
confidentiality of student information, including the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section
1232g), and any state law relating to the privacy of student
information.
(b) An institution of higher education or school district
may release student information in accordance with Subsection (a)
or (a-1), as applicable, through:
(1) the National Student Clearinghouse; or
(2) a similar [national] electronic data sharing and
exchange platform operated by an agent of the institution or
district that meets nationally accepted standards, conventions,
and practices.
SECTION 7. Section 61.059(p), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(p) In its instruction and operations formula applicable to
an institution of higher education, the board may not include any
semester credit hours earned for dual course credit by a high school
student for high school and college credit at the institution
unless those credit hours are earned through any of the following:
(1) a course in the core curriculum of the institution
providing course credit;
(2) a course offered by the institution providing
course credit in:
(A) a field of study curriculum developed by the
board under Section 61.823; or
(B) a program of study curriculum established by
the board under Section 61.8235;
(3) a career and technical education course that
applies to any certificate or associate's degree offered by the
institution providing course credit; or
(4) [(3)] a foreign language course.
SECTION 8. Section 61.822, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (a-2), (a-3), (f), and (g) and amending
Subsections (b), (c), and (d) to read as follows:
(a-2) The recommended core curriculum developed under
Subsection (a-1) must have the following components:
(1) a general core curriculum of at least 30 semester
credit hours that includes:
(A) six semester credit hours in each of the
following component areas:
(i) American or Texas history, as provided
by Section 51.302;
(ii) government or political science, as
provided by Section 51.301; and
(iii) communication; and
(B) three semester credit hours in each of the
following component areas:
(i) language, philosophy, or culture; and
(ii) creative arts; and
(2) for each broad academic discipline, an academic
discipline core curriculum of not more than 12 semester credit
hours specific to that discipline and that includes relevant
courses in mathematics and physical sciences.
(a-3) In developing an academic discipline core curriculum
as described by Subsection (a-2), the board, in accordance with
rules adopted by the board using the negotiated rulemaking
procedures under Chapter 2008, Government Code, shall consult with
relevant faculty at institutions of higher education.
(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:
(1) include a general core curriculum and, for each
broad academic discipline offered by the institution, an academic
discipline core curriculum as described by Subsection (a-2); and
(2) 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.]
(c) If a student successfully completes the 42-hour core
curriculum or the general core curriculum or academic discipline
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, general core curriculum, or academic discipline
core curriculum, as applicable. A student shall receive academic
credit toward the applicable disciplinary course requirements for
the student's degree program for each of the courses transferred
and may not be required to take additional core curriculum, general
core curriculum, or academic discipline core curriculum courses, as
applicable, at the receiving institution [unless the board has
approved a larger core curriculum at the institution].
(d) A student who transfers from one institution of higher
education to another without completing the core curriculum of the
sending institution shall receive academic credit from the
receiving institution toward that institution's general core
curriculum or academic discipline core curriculum, as applicable,
for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed
in the core curriculum of the sending institution. Following
receipt of credit for these courses, the student may be required to
satisfy any remaining [further] course requirements in the core
curriculum of the receiving institution.
(f) Each institution of higher education shall:
(1) identify in the institution's course catalog and
on the institution's Internet website each course offered by the
institution that fulfills a course requirement in the institution's
general core curriculum or academic discipline core curriculum and
the specific course requirement that the course fulfills;
(2) provide to the board in accordance with board rule
the institution's general core curriculum and academic discipline
core curriculum and the information described by Subdivision (1);
and
(3) advise each student enrolled at the institution
regarding the importance of taking coherent sequences of courses in
the core curriculum that are aligned with the student's academic
and career goals.
(g) To assist in advising a student regarding the selection
of coherent sequences of courses in the core curriculum that are
aligned with the student's academic and career goals, the board
shall make available to each institution of higher education and to
school counselors and other postsecondary advisors employed by a
school district or charter school information regarding:
(1) the general core curriculum and academic
discipline core curriculum required under Subsection (b); and
(2) the transferability of course credit between
institutions of higher education for courses in the core curriculum
as provided by this section.
SECTION 9. Section 61.823, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
(f) A public junior college or public technical institute
shall adopt in whole or in part each field of study curriculum
developed by the board under this section for an academic area in
which the college or institute offers courses.
SECTION 10. Section 61.827, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 61.827. RULES. (a) The board is authorized to adopt
rules implementing the provisions of this subchapter.
(b) In adopting rules regarding the recommended core
curriculum developed under Section 61.822, the board shall use the
negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government
Code.
SECTION 11. Section 130.0104(c), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(c) In complying with the requirements regarding the filing
of a degree plan under [Notwithstanding] Section 51.9685, [before
the beginning of the regular semester or term immediately following
the semester or term in which] a student enrolled [successfully
completes a cumulative total of 30 or more semester credit hours for
coursework] in a multidisciplinary studies associate degree
program established under this section[, the student] must meet
with an academic advisor to complete a degree plan[, as defined by
Section 51.9685(a)(1),] that:
(1) accounts for all remaining credit hours required
for the completion of the degree program; and
(2) emphasizes:
(A) the student's transition to a particular
four-year college or university that the student chooses; and
(B) preparations for the student's intended
field of study or major at the four-year college or university.
SECTION 12. Section 51.9685(c-1), Education Code, is
repealed.
SECTION 13. Each public institution of higher education
required to submit a report under Section 51.4033, Education Code,
as added by this Act, shall submit the first report not later than
September 1, 2021.
SECTION 14. Sections 51.762, 51.9715, and 61.822, Education
Code, as amended by this Act, and Sections 51.96852 and 51.96853,
Education Code, as added by this Act, apply beginning with the
2021-2022 academic year.
SECTION 15. Not later than December 31, 2020, the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board shall develop a recommended
core curriculum that conforms to the requirements of Section
61.822, Education Code, as amended by this Act.
SECTION 16. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.