By Turner of Harris H.B. No. 2683
74R5969 SMH-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the establishment of remedial educational consortia to
1-3 prevent duplication of remedial programs in public institutions of
1-4 higher education.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 51.306(f), Education Code, is amended to
1-7 read as follows:
1-8 (f) If the test results indicate that remedial education is
1-9 necessary in any area tested, the institution shall refer the
1-10 student to remedial courses or other remedial programs made
1-11 available by the institution or by another institution in the
1-12 remedial educational consortium under Section 51.307 of which the
1-13 institution is a part if the institution is included in a
1-14 consortium under that section. <Each institution shall make
1-15 available those courses and programs on the same campus at which
1-16 the student would otherwise attend classes.> The courses or
1-17 programs may not be considered as credit toward completion of
1-18 degree requirements.
1-19 SECTION 2. Subchapter F, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
1-20 amended by adding Section 51.307 to read as follows:
1-21 Sec. 51.307. ELIMINATION OF DUPLICATIVE REMEDIAL PROGRAMS.
1-22 (a) Each general academic teaching institution is in a remedial
1-23 educational consortium designated by the coordinating board if the
1-24 institution is located within 30 miles of:
2-1 (1) another general academic teaching institution; or
2-2 (2) a campus of a public junior college or public
2-3 technical institute.
2-4 (b) The consortium includes each of the institutions
2-5 described by Subsection (a).
2-6 (c) The chief executive officer of each institution of
2-7 higher education in a consortium shall designate a member of the
2-8 steering committee of the consortium. The committee members shall
2-9 elect a presiding officer.
2-10 (d) The steering committee of each consortium shall
2-11 recommend to the coordinating board a plan to eliminate unnecessary
2-12 duplication of remedial programs among the institutions of higher
2-13 education in the consortium and to provide remedial education to
2-14 the institutions' students in the most effective and efficient
2-15 manner possible. The coordinating board must approve the plan.
2-16 (e) A general academic teaching institution in a consortium
2-17 that includes a public junior college or public technical institute
2-18 may not offer remedial programs at the general academic teaching
2-19 institution after:
2-20 (1) September 1, 1999, if less than 40 percent of the
2-21 students enrolled full-time in the institution in the fall semester
2-22 of 1995 are enrolled in remedial programs; or
2-23 (2) September 1, 2001, if 40 percent or more of the
2-24 students enrolled full-time in the institution in the fall semester
2-25 of 1995 are enrolled in remedial programs.
2-26 (f) A public junior college or public technical institute in
2-27 a consortium in which a general academic teaching institution is
3-1 prohibited by Subsection (e) from offering remedial programs shall
3-2 provide remedial programs for students of the general academic
3-3 teaching institution on the campus of the public junior college or
3-4 public technical institute or at another location convenient to the
3-5 students.
3-6 (g) In this section:
3-7 (1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
3-8 Education Coordinating Board.
3-9 (2) "General academic teaching institution,"
3-10 "institution of higher education," "public junior college," and
3-11 "public technical institute" have the meanings assigned those terms
3-12 by Section 61.003.
3-13 SECTION 3. (a) Not later than February 1, 1996, the Texas
3-14 Higher Education Coordinating Board shall designate remedial
3-15 educational consortia as provided by Section 51.307(a), Education
3-16 Code, as added by this Act.
3-17 (b) Not later than September 1, 1996, the steering committee
3-18 of each remedial educational consortium shall recommend to the
3-19 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the plan required by
3-20 Section 51.307(d), Education Code, as added by this Act.
3-21 (c) Not later than November 1, 1996, the Texas Higher
3-22 Education Coordinating Board shall report to the legislature on:
3-23 (1) the plans required by Section 51.307(d), Education
3-24 Code, as added by this Act; and
3-25 (2) the potential fiscal and educational impact of the
3-26 implementation of those plans for the period beginning September 1,
3-27 1997, and ending August 31, 2007.
4-1 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
4-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-6 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-7 passage, and it is so enacted.