SRC-TNM C.S.S.B. 148 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 148
By: Bivins
Education
2-4-97
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, 20 percent of students who begin their postsecondary education
at public community/junior colleges transfer to four-year institutions to
complete their education.  In many cases, the students are finding it
difficult to transfer a majority of their credit hours to these four-year
institutions.  As a result, the students are required to repeat courses
similar to ones they successfully completed at the community college,
therefore rendering  the process of attaining a higher education
inefficient.  C.S.S.B. 148 revises the authoritative powers of the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board in order to develop a more
comprehensive curricula for institutions of higher education. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 148 outlines provisions concerning the development
of curricula by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board under SECTION 1 (Sections 61.826(a) and 61.827, Education Code) of
this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Subchapter S, as
follows: 

 SUBCHAPTER S. TRANSFER OF CREDIT

Sec. 61.821. DEFINITIONS. Defines "core curriculum" and "field of study
curriculum." 

Sec. 61.822. CORE CURRICULUM. Requires the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board (board), with the assistance of advisory committees
composed of higher education representatives, to develop a core
curriculum.  Sets forth the requirements for implementation of a core
curriculum at an institution of higher education.  Sets forth the
authorization for a student who successfully completes the core curriculum
at an institution of higher education.  Sets forth the requirements for a
student who transfers courses to an institution of higher education and a
student who transfers from one institution of higher education to another. 

Sec. 61.823. FIELD OF STUDY CURRICULUM. Sets forth the requirements for
implementation of field of study curriculum at an institution of higher
education. 

Sec. 61.824. INSTITUTIONAL EVALUATIONS. Requires each institution to
review and evaluate the institution's core curriculum and applicable field
of study curricula at intervals specified by the board and to report the
results of the review to the board. 

Sec. 61.825. BOARD EVALUATIONS. Requires the board to develop criteria to
evaluate the transfer practices of each institution of higher education
and to evaluate the transfer practices of each institution of higher
education based on those criteria. 

 Sec. 61.826. DISPUTE RESOLUTION. Requires the board, by rule, to adopt
policies that provide for free transferability of lower division course
credit among institutions of higher education and sets forth the required
procedures to be followed.  Sets forth the requirements for an institution
of higher education if the institution does not accept course credit
earned by a student at another institution of higher education.  Sets
forth the requirements for the commissioner of higher education
(commissioner) regarding disputes concerning the transfer of course
credit.  Requires the board to collect data on the types of reported
transfer disputes and the disposition of each case considered by the
commissioner or the commissioner's designee. 

Sec. 61.827. RULES. Provides that the board is authorized to adopt rules
implementing the provisions of this subchapter. 

SECTION 2. Repealer: Sections 51.305 and 61.078, Education Code (Core
Curriculum and Transfer of Lower Division Course Credit). 

SECTION 3. Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to adopt
rules implementing the provisions of this Act, not later than September 1,
1998. 

SECTION 4. Emergency clause. 
  Effective date: upon passage.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Amends SECTION 1, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Subchapter S,
regarding transfer of credit. 

Amends SECTION 2 to repeal Sections 51.305 and 61.078, Education Code
(Core Curriculum and Transfer of Lower Division Credit).