BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 111
Committee Report (Substituted)
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. In addition to the International Baccalaureate program, there exist other equally rigorous and recognized opportunities for highly motivated high schools students to earn college credit, such as the College Board's Advancement Placement Tests, College Level Exam Program (CLEP) tests, and dual credit courses. In order for Texas universities to draw these outstanding students to their school, they must offer college credit as an incentive.
C.S.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 Advanced Placement exams, CLEP tests, dual credit courses or the IB program. It requests that the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Education Agency examine the correlation between corresponding high school and college courses for dual credit. Finally, C.S.S.B. 111 requires universities to inform admitted students how many credits they are eligible to receive from a particular course or exam based on university policies following a request by the student.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.968, as follows:
Sec. 51.968. UNDERGRADUATE COURSE CREDIT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPLETING POSTSECONDARY-LEVEL PROGRAM. (a) Defines "advanced placement examination," "CLEP examination," "coordinating board," "institution of higher education," and "international baccalaureate diploma program."
(b) Requires each institution of higher education that offers freshman-level courses to adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students who have successfully completed the international baccalaureate diploma program, who have achieved required scored on one or more examinations in the advanced placement program or the college-level examination program, or who have successfully completed one or more courses offered through concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of higher education.
(c) Requires the institution, to include certain elements in the policy.
(d) Requires each institution of higher education to report to the coordinating board the institution's policy and to include a copy of the policy with the institution's undergraduate student application materials, including application materials available on the institution's Internet website.
(e) Requires an institution of higher education, on request of an application for admission as an entering freshman, based on information provided by the applicant, to determine and notify the applicant regarding certain information.
(f) Requires the coordinating board, in consultation, with the Texas Education Agency, to take certain actions.
(g) Requires an institution of higher education to grant at least 24 semester credit hours or equivalent course credit in appropriate subject areas to an entering freshman student for successful completion of the international baccalaureate 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.
SECTION 2. Requires each public institution of higher education in this state to adopt and to make available to the students and 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.