BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                        S.B. 111

                                                                                                                                      By: Shapleigh

                                                                                                                                            Education

                                                                                                                                            2/11/2005

                                                                                                                                              As Filed

 

 

AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma program is a rigorous academic curriculum offered in schools across the state.  The IB Diploma has become a symbol of academic achievement centered around high international standards.  Universities across the United States offer IB graduates college credit in order to attract these very motivated students to their schools; they must offer college credit as an incentive.

 

As proposed, S.B. 111 requires higher education institutions in Texas to adopt and implement a policy regarding the awarding of course credit for entering freshman who successfully complete the IB program. 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.968, as follows:

 

            Sec. 51.968.  COURSE CREDIT FOR COMPLETION OF INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAM.  (a) Defines "international baccalaureate diploma program."

 

                        (b) Requires the governing board of each institution of higher education to adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students who have successfully completed the international baccalaureate diploma program. 

 

                        (c) Requires the governing board to include certain elements in this policy. 

 

                        (d) Requires an institution of higher education, except as otherwise provide by this subsection, to grant at least 24 semester credit hours or the equivalent in appropriate subject areas to an entering freshman student for completion of the international baccalaureate diploma program.  Authorizes the institution to grant fewer than 24 semester credit hours if the student received a score of less than four on an examination administered as part of the diploma program.  Authorizes the institution to grant fewer credit hours only with respect to courses that are substantially related to the subject of that examination. 

 

                        (e) Requires the governing board of each institution of higher education to report to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the policy adopted and implemented and to make the policy available to the public on the institution's Internet site.

 

SECTION 2. Requires the governing board of each public institution of higher education in this state to adopt and make available to the public and to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the required policy by December 31, 2005; and to implement the policy beginning with admissions to the institution for the 2006-2007 academic year.

 

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2005.