By Hunter of Nueces H.B. No. 2220 74R5294 JSA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the development of distance learning and related 1-3 activities by institutions of higher education and to a Distance 1-4 Learning Clearinghouse. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is 1-7 amended by adding Sections 61.0771, 61.0772, and 61.0773 to read as 1-8 follows: 1-9 Sec. 61.0771. DISTANCE LEARNING MASTER PLAN. (a) The 1-10 board, in cooperation with institutions of higher education, shall 1-11 develop a master plan for the development of distance learning and 1-12 other applications of instructional electronic technology by 1-13 institutions of higher education. The plan shall include 1-14 recommendations for: 1-15 (1) the coordination and integration of distance 1-16 learning and related telecommunications activities among 1-17 institutions of higher education and other public or private 1-18 entities to achieve optimum efficiency and effectiveness in 1-19 providing necessary services, including identification of the costs 1-20 and any cost savings to be achieved by the use of distance learning 1-21 and related activities such as teleconferencing or sharing 1-22 resources by telecommunications; 1-23 (2) the development and acquisition of distance 1-24 learning infrastructure and equipment within and among institutions 2-1 of higher education consistent with the missions of those 2-2 institutions and the recipients of their services; 2-3 (3) the establishment of uniform or compatible 2-4 standards and technologies for distance learning; 2-5 (4) the training of faculty and staff in the use and 2-6 operation of distance learning facilities; 2-7 (5) appropriate applications of distance learning, 2-8 including the identification of the needs of the student 2-9 populations to be served; 2-10 (6) policies relating to the funding for 2-11 implementation and administering of distance learning, including 2-12 interinstitutional funds transfers among institutions providing and 2-13 receiving distance learning services and formula funding 2-14 allocations, and recommendations for the appropriate fees for 2-15 services offered through distance learning; 2-16 (7) revising regulatory policy relating to public 2-17 utilities to facilitate distance learning; and 2-18 (8) any statutory or regulatory changes desirable to 2-19 promote distance learning or to implement the master plan. 2-20 (b) The board may include in the plan any related 2-21 recommendation the board considers appropriate, including 2-22 recommendations for coordination of distance learning with other 2-23 telecommunications activities and services conducted by government 2-24 agencies or private entities. 2-25 (c) To assist in the development of the plan, the board 2-26 shall create an advisory committee consisting of experts in 2-27 distance learning, including school administrators and faculty and 3-1 lay persons. The board shall include on the committee a 3-2 representative of each university system and each public senior 3-3 college or university under a separate governing board, and 3-4 representatives of public junior colleges, public health science 3-5 centers and medical schools, public technical institutes, and 3-6 independent institutions of higher education. The appointment of 3-7 an employee of an institution of higher education to the committee 3-8 must be approved by the president or chancellor of that 3-9 institution. 3-10 (d) The advisory committee may request the cooperation or 3-11 participation of the Central Education Agency, Department of 3-12 Information Resources, or General Services Commission in preparing 3-13 the master plan. 3-14 (e) The board shall approve the master plan and present it 3-15 to the legislature not later than December 31, 1996. The plan 3-16 shall include a summary of the then-current uses of distance 3-17 learning and other instructional electronic technologies by 3-18 institutions of higher education and of the plans of those 3-19 institutions to implement, improve, or expand the use of distance 3-20 learning and other instructional electronic technologies. The 3-21 board may revise the master plan at any subsequent time as the 3-22 board considers appropriate. 3-23 Sec. 61.0772. DISTANCE LEARNING CLEARINGHOUSE. (a) The 3-24 board shall establish a Distance Learning Clearinghouse, in 3-25 cooperation with the Distance Learning Advisory Committee created 3-26 under Section 61.0773, institutions of higher education, the 3-27 Central Education Agency, and the Department of Information 4-1 Resources, to: 4-2 (1) compile and maintain a database of information 4-3 relating to distance learning and make it available to the public 4-4 in electronic form; 4-5 (2) develop statewide distance learning programs and 4-6 applications; and 4-7 (3) assist institutions of higher education and the 4-8 Central Education Agency in providing technical assistance to 4-9 potential distance learning providers. 4-10 (b) The clearinghouse may provide information to 4-11 institutions of higher education and the Central Education Agency 4-12 regarding methods of providing technical assistance to entities 4-13 that are developing distance learning programs, and may assist 4-14 those entities in assessing distance learning needs. 4-15 (c) The clearinghouse may advise an institution of higher 4-16 education or a school district of ways in which the institution or 4-17 district may save money when using distance learning programs. 4-18 Sec. 61.0773. DISTANCE LEARNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) 4-19 The Distance Learning Advisory Committee consists of 15 members 4-20 appointed by the commissioner of higher education as follows: 4-21 (1) one member must represent regional education 4-22 service centers; 4-23 (2) one member must be a practicing public school 4-24 administrator, selected from a list submitted by a statewide 4-25 organization of school administrators; 4-26 (3) three members must represent businesses in this 4-27 state and be experienced in technology applications; 5-1 (4) one member must be a practicing public school 5-2 teacher, selected from a list submitted by a statewide organization 5-3 of teachers; 5-4 (5) one member must be a library media specialist, 5-5 selected from a list submitted by a statewide organization of 5-6 library media specialists; 5-7 (6) one member must represent the public; 5-8 (7) one member must be a faculty member of an 5-9 institution of higher education; 5-10 (8) one member must be a public secondary school 5-11 teacher and represent educators who use technology; 5-12 (9) one member must be a practicing public elementary 5-13 school teacher; 5-14 (10) one member must be a practicing public school 5-15 educator specializing in curriculum development; 5-16 (11) one member must be experienced in 5-17 telecommunications regulation; 5-18 (12) one member must be a representative of an 5-19 association of persons engaged in providing public broadcasting; 5-20 and 5-21 (13) one member must represent consumers. 5-22 (b) A private business entity, school district, or statewide 5-23 organization may not have more than one officer or employee serve 5-24 on the advisory committee. 5-25 (c) A member must be knowledgeable about application of 5-26 technology for learning experiences and be selected based on 5-27 documentation of that knowledge. 6-1 (d) The advisory committee shall advise the board in the 6-2 development of the distance learning master plan as provided by 6-3 Section 61.0771. 6-4 (e) A member is not entitled to compensation for serving on 6-5 the advisory committee but is entitled to reimbursement for 6-6 expenses as provided by Article 6252-33, Revised Statutes. 6-7 (f) The commissioner of higher education shall appoint the 6-8 initial members of the advisory committee not later than November 6-9 1, 1995. In the event of a vacancy on the advisory committee, the 6-10 commissioner shall appoint a replacement who meets the 6-11 qualifications for the vacated position. 6-12 (g) This section expires and the advisory committee is 6-13 abolished August 31, 1997. 6-14 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 6-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 6-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 6-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 6-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.