MMA S.B. 1306 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS


HIGHER EDUCATION
S.B. 1306
By: Lucio (Walker)
4-27-97
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND 

Section 51.306, Education Code, authorizes the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board (THECB) to require institutions of higher education to
administer a diagnostic test instrument of reading, writing, and
mathematic skills. This test compares the skill level of individual
students with the "skill level necessary for the student to perform
effectively in an undergraduate degree program."  This section also
forbids a student from enrolling in upper division course work which would
give the student 60 or more credit hours at an institution of higher
education until the student has met or passed the minimum standards on all
test scores. 

In Section 132.063, Education Code, a proprietary school is authorized to
offer a degree approved by the THECB. 

PURPOSE

S.B. 1306 would eliminate the requirement for proprietary schools to
administer the diagnostic test instrument created by Section 51.306,
Education Code, as well as the subsequent requirement that students in
proprietary schools meet specified performance levels in order to receive
a degree from such school. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 132.063, Education Code by adding "ACADEMIC
TESTING" to the heading, creating a subsection (a) for approved degrees
and adding subsection (b) for academic testing to read as follows: 
Sec. 132.063. (b) Prohibits the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
(THECB) from requiring students of proprietary schools to take or pass the
test adopted by THECB under Section 51.306 in order to receive a degree. 

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.


EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
Strikes the word "degree" from SECTION 1, Section 132.063(b) and replaces
it with "certificate."