BILL ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 2309
By: Rangel (Ratliff)
Education
5-18-95
Senate Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND
In 1987, the Texas Legislature approved legislation directing the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to implement a diagnostic
test instrument to measure whether high school students who entered
an institution of public higher education were capable of doing
college-level work. The coordinating board, in consultation with
various faculty and educational leaders throughout the state,
adopted the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP). The TASP is a
test which is used to determine whether a student needs to take
remediation courses in addition to regular courses.
PURPOSE
As proposed, C.S.H.B. 2309 modifies the assessment of students
enrolled in a degree program and also provides enrichment courses
to those students which a university determines need enrichment of
basic skills.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 51.306, Education Code, as follows:
Sec. 51.306. New heading: ASSESSMENT AND ENRICHMENT
COURSEWORK. (a) Adds definitions for "private or independent
institution of higher education" and "enrichment course."
(b) Makes conforming changes.
(c) Requires the board to include and involve faculty and
developmental educators from various institutions in
developing and updating the assessment procedure. Makes
conforming changes.
(d) Makes conforming changes.
(e) Requires each institution of higher education to apply
standards for the minimum level of performance set by the
board for the skills listed in Subsection (b) and consider
a student's performance under the assessment procedure and
determine whether the student must take enrichment courses
under this section. Deletes a requirement that the board
prescribe minimum performance standards.
(f) Makes conforming changes.
(g) Authorizes a student identified as needing enrichment
education to enroll in upper-division courses before passing
the part of the assessment procedure pertaining to the area
of identified deficiency until the earlier of the date the
student completes the sophomore year or the date the student
completes 60 semester credit hours. Prohibits a student
from enrolling in an upper-division course unless the
student has passed the part of the assessment procedure
pertaining to the area of identified deficiency after
completion of the sophomore year or 60 semester credit
hours. Deletes a provision authorizing a student to enroll
in upper division courses.
(h) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
to develop formulas to augment institutional funding for
freshman-level courses for which the student failure rate is
significantly higher than average. Makes conforming
changes.
(i) Makes no changes.
(j) Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes.
(k) Prohibits the report, concerning the results of the
students being assessed, from identifying students by name
and requires it to contain certain information. Makes
conforming changes.
(l) Requires a student enrolling for the first time in an
institution of higher education after the five-year, rather
than three-year, period has elapsed to conform to all
provisions of this section. Makes conforming changes.
Deletes provision exempting blind and deaf students from the
test and a remediation program as condition for enrollment
in an upper division course.
(m) Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes.
(n) Prohibits a student who meets the required level of
performance in a skill listed in Subsection (b) from being
required to be reassessed in that skill under the statewide
assessment program.
(o) Reletters existing subsection.
(p) Provides that this section does not apply to a blind
student.
(q)-(s) Redesignate existing Subsections (o)-(p). Makes
conforming changes.
(t) Provides that this section does not apply to a certain
temporary students at an institution.
(u) Requires a student to present certain information to
the institution at which the student seeks the exemption as
evidence of enrollment in the other institution.
(v) Provides that an exemption under Subsection (t)
terminates if the student enrolls on a permanent basis in an
institution or enrolls in a certificate or degree program at
an institution.
(w) Provides that this section does not apply to a certain
student.
(x) Requires a student who the assessment procedure
indicates is deficient in mathematics and who completes the
mathematics enrichment coursework prescribed by the
institution to retake the mathematics portion of the
assessment procedure. Authorizes the student to enroll in
additional mathematics enrichment coursework or in the
entry-level mathematics course required for the student's
certificate or degree program if the assessment procedure
indicates that the student is still deficient in
mathematics. Requires the institution to award the student
credit for the course toward completion of the student's
certificate or degree program and prohibits the institution
from requiring the student to retake the mathematics portion
of the assessment procedure or prohibit the student from
enrolling in an upper-division course because of failure to
pass the mathematics portion of the assessment procedure if
the student enrolls in and passes the entry-level
mathematics course.
(y) Prohibits a certain student from being required to
participate in a mathematics enrichment program; required to
retake the mathematics portion of the assessment procedure;
or prohibited from advancing in the degree program.
SECTION 2. (a) Effective date: September 1, 1995.
(b) Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies
to all students at institutions of higher education regardless
of when admitted.
SECTION 3. Emergency clause.