79R22 KEL-D

By:  Shapleigh                                                    S.B. No. 111


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to undergraduate course credit granted by certain public institutions of higher education for completion of the international baccalaureate diploma program. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 51.968 to read as follows: Sec. 51.968. COURSE CREDIT FOR COMPLETION OF INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE DIPLOMA PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "international baccalaureate diploma program" means the curriculum and examinations leading to an international baccalaureate diploma awarded by the International Baccalaureate Organization. (b) The governing board of each institution of higher education shall adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students who have successfully completed the international baccalaureate diploma program. (c) In the policy, the governing board shall: (1) outline the conditions necessary for the institution to grant the course credit, including the minimum required scores on examinations for courses constituting the international baccalaureate diploma program; (2) as provided by Subsection (d), set the number of semester credit hours or the equivalent that the institution may grant to a student who successfully completes the diploma program; and (3) identify the specific course credit or other academic requirements of the institution that the student satisfies by successfully completing the diploma program. (d) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, an institution of higher education shall 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. The institution may 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. The institution may grant fewer credit hours only with respect to courses that are substantially related to the subject of that examination. (e) The governing board of each institution of higher education shall report to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the policy adopted and implemented under this section and shall make the policy available to the public on the institution's Internet site. SECTION 2. The governing board of each public institution of higher education in this state shall: (1) not later than December 31, 2005, adopt and make available to the public and to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the policy required by Section 51.968, Education Code, as added by this Act; and (2) implement the policy beginning with admissions to the institution for the 2006-2007 academic year. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.