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.