BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                             H.B. 208

                                                                                                                                            By: Flores

                                                                                                                                 Public Education

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

High school students who meet certain qualifying standards (GPA, test scores and/or class rank) can take regular college courses taught by college faculty on a college campus with other regularly enrolled college students. Through arrangements between the school district and higher education institutions, high schools may decide to offer "dual credit" for these courses, thereby allowing students to receive both high school and college credit for a course. These courses may be held at a college taught by a faculty member, or they may be a “college-level course” taught by an “approved” instructor at the high school with other high school students.

 

Regardless of the method used to take a college course, if the student is not physically present at their high school campus for a certain number of hours in any given week, then the student is not eligible to participate in extra curricular activities or in a UIL (University Interscholastic League) competition.

 

Under House Bill 208, a student otherwise eligible to participate in extracurricular activities or UIL competition would still be eligible to participate when the student is enrolled in a course offered for joint high school and college credit, or in a course offered under a concurrent enrollment program, regardless of the location at which the course is provided.

 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

This bill provides that a student otherwise eligible to participate in an extracurricular activity or a University Interscholastic League competition is not ineligible because the student is enrolled in a course offered for joint high school and college credit, or in a course offered under a concurrent enrollment program, regardless of the location at which the course is provided.

 

The bill applies beginning with the 2007-2008 school year.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.