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.