By: Rosson S.B. No. 1192
73R6329 ESH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to certain degree programs offered by proprietary schools.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 32.401, Education Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 32.401. Approved Degrees. (a) A proprietary school
1-7 may offer an associate of applied arts, <or> an associate of
1-8 applied science degree, or an associate of occupational studies
1-9 degree approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
1-10 (b) A proprietary school may offer an applied technology
1-11 degree<, an occupational studies degree,> or other degree approved
1-12 by the Central Education Agency. The Central Education Agency
1-13 shall have no authority to approve a degree title that uses
1-14 "associate," "bachelor's," "master's," or "doctor's" in the title
1-15 and shall consult with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
1-16 Board to ensure that the titles of degrees approved by the agency
1-17 are distinctly different from the titles of degrees approved by the
1-18 board.
1-19 SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 32, Education Code, is
1-20 amended by adding Section 32.402 to read as follows:
1-21 Sec. 32.402. ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSOCIATE OF
1-22 OCCUPATIONAL STUDIES DEGREE. (a) A proprietary school that offers
1-23 an associate of occupational studies degree must provide the
1-24 equivalent of 15 credit hours of academic courses.
2-1 (b) The commissioner of higher education may not require a
2-2 proprietary school to provide academic courses required by
2-3 Subsection (a) of this section as separate courses but shall permit
2-4 a school to incorporate the academic courses into the practical
2-5 skills training program if the courses are approved by the
2-6 commissioner as appropriate for incorporation into the school's
2-7 skills training program.
2-8 (c) The commissioner of higher education, in cooperation
2-9 with the proprietary schools that offer an associate of
2-10 occupational studies degree, shall develop a system to evaluate the
2-11 outcome of academic courses required by Subsection (a) of this
2-12 section.
2-13 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
2-14 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.