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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of standardized examinations by a school of |
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nursing or educational program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 301, Occupations Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 301.1571 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 301.1571. USE OF STANDARDIZED EXAMINATIONS. (a) The |
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board shall adopt rules related to the use by a school of nursing or |
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educational program offered in this state of a standardized |
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examination prepared by a private entity. The rules must prohibit |
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the use of a standardized examination as a graduation requirement |
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or to deny students an affidavit of graduation. The rules may |
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authorize the use of a standardized examination only to: |
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(1) familiarize students with computerized testing; |
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(2) assess potential or enrolled students for purposes |
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of: |
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(A) serving as one component of admissions |
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criteria; |
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(B) evaluating a student's strengths and |
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weaknesses for remediation purposes; or |
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(C) identifying students experiencing academic |
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difficulties who require early remediation; or |
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(3) assess the effectiveness of the school of nursing |
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or educational program by providing: |
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(A) trend data on student performance; |
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(B) a comparison of student performance with |
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nationwide averages; |
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(C) feedback of student knowledge of program |
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content; |
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(D) data to monitor the effectiveness of specific |
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course, level, and program curriculum revisions; |
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(E) a measure of student mastery of content; or |
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(F) an evaluation of the effectiveness of |
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curriculum content for revision purposes. |
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(b) The rules adopted under Subsection (a) must provide that |
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a score on a standardized examination may not account for more than |
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10 percent of a course grade for a course in a school of nursing or |
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educational program. |
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(c) A school of nursing or educational program that |
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determines a student is in need of academic remediation on the basis |
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of a standardized examination may not require the student to attend |
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any course offered by the examination provider. |
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(d) Failure to comply with the rules adopted under |
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Subsection (a) may subject the school of nursing or educational |
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program to disciplinary action, including removal of the school's |
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or program's approval status, as determined by the board. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Texas Board of Nursing shall adopt the rules |
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required by Section 301.1571, Occupations Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |