By Maxey                                         H.B. No. 402

      75R2871 ESH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the evaluation and improvement of remedial academic

 1-3     programs in public institutions of higher education.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 51.306, Education Code, is amended by

 1-6     amending Subsection (k) and adding Subsections (x), (y), and (y-1)

 1-7     to read as follows:

 1-8           (k)  Each institution shall report annually to the board, on

 1-9     or before a day set by rule of the board, concerning the results of

1-10     the students being tested [and the effectiveness of the

1-11     institution's remedial program and advising program].  The report

1-12     shall identify by  name the high school from which each tested

1-13     student graduated and a statement as to whether or not the

1-14     student's performance was above or below the standard.  For the

1-15     purposes of this report, students shall not be identified by name.

1-16           (x)  To receive funding under Subsection (h) an institution

1-17     must  report on the effectiveness of the institution's remedial

1-18     program as required by the board.  The report must:

1-19                 (1)  describe the institution's student population;

1-20                 (2)  describe the institution's strategies addressing

1-21     student need for adult education and basic workforce skills;

1-22                 (3)  evaluate the costs and success of the

1-23     institution's remedial program; and

1-24                 (4)  assess the effectiveness of tutoring, self-paced

 2-1     learning, learning assistance centers, or other components of the

 2-2     institution's remedial program.

 2-3           (y)  The board shall regularly evaluate the success of

 2-4     remedial programs offered by all public institutions of higher

 2-5     education.  The evaluation must compare remedial education

 2-6     approaches against student progress to identify the most successful

 2-7     programs.  The board shall provide institutions with a standard

 2-8     model for evaluating remedial programs and shall provide technical

 2-9     assistance to institutions during the evaluation process.

2-10           (y-1)  The board shall conduct a detailed audit of

2-11     expenditures by public institutions of higher education of money

2-12     received for programs under Subsection (h) for the state fiscal

2-13     years beginning September 1, 1993, September 1, 1994, and September

2-14     1, 1995.  The audit must include the 16 institutions that received

2-15     the most money for those programs and may include other

2-16     institutions.  The state auditor shall provide staff to the board

2-17     to assist in conducting the audit.  The board shall report the

2-18     results of the audit to the 76th Legislature not later than

2-19     February 1, 1999.  This subsection expires September 1, 1999.

2-20           SECTION 2.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

2-21     shall conduct the first evaluation of remedial programs under

2-22     Section 51.306(y), Education Code, as added by this Act, not later

2-23     than September 1, 1998.

2-24           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-25           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-26     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-27     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.