By: Morrison (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro) H.B. No. 3828
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2007;
  May 15, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Education; May 18, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 5, Nays 1; May 18, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to performance incentive funding for institutions of
  higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter EE to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER EE.  PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE FUNDING
         Sec. 61.9801.  PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR CERTAIN
  GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS. (a) This section applies
  only to general academic teaching institutions other than public
  state colleges.
         (b)  In this section:
               (1)  "Advanced degree" means a graduate or professional
  degree for which a baccalaureate degree is usually required as a
  prerequisite to admission into the degree program.
               (2)  "At-risk student" means a student of an
  institution to which this section applies:
                     (A)  whose score on the Scholastic Assessment Test
  or the American College Test is less than the national mean score of
  students' scores on that test;
                     (B)  who has been awarded a grant under the
  federal Pell Grant program;
                     (C)  who was 20 years of age or older but younger
  than 60 years of age on the date the student initially enrolled in
  the institution;
                     (D)  who initially enrolled in the institution for
  less than 12 semester credit hours during a fall or spring semester;
                     (E)  who did not receive a high school diploma but
  received a high school equivalency certificate;
                     (F)  who may not be claimed by any other person as
  a dependent for federal income tax purposes but may claim at least
  one other person as a dependent for federal income tax purposes; or
                     (G)  who is a single parent.
               (3)  "Critical field" means a field of study designated
  as a critical field under Subsection (c).
         (c)  Except as otherwise provided under Subdivision (2), the
  fields of engineering, computer science, mathematics, physical
  science, allied health, nursing, and teaching certification in the
  field of science or mathematics are critical fields.
         (d)  Except as otherwise provided by rules adopted under
  Section 61.9806, for each state fiscal year, the board shall
  distribute any performance incentive funds appropriated by the
  legislature for the purposes of this section, and any other funds
  made available for the purposes of this section, to institutions to
  which this section applies in proportion to the number of points
  assigned to each institution under the tables prescribed by
  Subsections (f) and (g).
         (e)  A number of points is assigned in accordance with
  Subsections (f) and (g) only on the basis of a degree awarded during
  the state fiscal year preceding the year for which the distribution
  of funds under this section is made. Points may not be assigned for
  any degree awarded to an international student.
         (f)  A number of points is assigned for a bachelor's degree
  awarded to a student by an institution to which this section applies
  according to the following table:
 
                           POINTS
 
Non-critical Field/Not At-Risk 1.0
 
Non-critical Field/At-Risk 2.0
 
Critical Field/Not At-Risk 2.0
 
Critical Field/At-Risk 3.0
         (g)  A number of points is assigned for an advanced degree
  awarded to a student by an institution to which this section applies
  based on the type of advanced degree awarded according to the
  following table:
 
TYPE OF DEGREE AWARDED POINTS
 
Master's 1.0
 
Doctoral 1.0
 
Professional 1.0
         Sec. 61.9802.  PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY
  COLLEGES, PUBLIC TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, AND PUBLIC STATE COLLEGES.  
  (a) This section applies only to the following institutions of
  higher education:
               (1)  community colleges;
               (2)  public technical institutes; and
               (3)  public state colleges.
         (b)  In this section:
               (1)  "At-risk student" means a student of an
  institution to which this section applies:
                     (A)  who graduated from high school with a
  cumulative grade point average of less than 2.5 on the grading scale
  established by the board by rule under Section 51.807;
                     (B)  who has been awarded a grant under the
  federal Pell Grant program;
                     (C)  who was 20 years of age or older but younger
  than 60 years of age on the date the student enrolled in the
  institution for the first time;
                     (D)  who initially enrolled in the institution for
  less than 12 semester credit hours during a fall or spring semester;
                     (E)  who did not receive a high school diploma but
  received a high school equivalency certificate;
                     (F)  who may not be claimed by any other person as
  a dependent for federal income tax purposes but may claim at least
  one other person as a dependent for federal income tax purposes; or
                     (G)  who is a single parent.
               (2)  "Critical field" means a field of study designated
  as a critical field under Subsection (c).
         (c)  Except as otherwise provided under Subdivision (2), the
  fields of engineering, technology, computer science, mathematics,
  physical science, allied health, and nursing are critical fields.
  Beginning September 1, 2010, the board, based on the board's
  determination of those fields of study in which the support and
  development of postsecondary education programs at the
  lower-division level are most critically necessary for serving the
  needs of this state, by rule may:
               (1)  designate as a critical field a field of study that
  is not currently designated by this subsection or by the board as a
  critical field; or
               (2)  remove a field of study from the list of fields
  currently designated by this subsection or by the board as critical
  fields.
         (d)  Except as otherwise provided by rules adopted under
  Section 61.9806, for each state fiscal year, the board shall
  distribute any performance incentive funds appropriated by the
  legislature for the purposes of this section, and any other funds
  made available for the purposes of this section, to institutions to
  which this section applies in proportion to the number of points
  assigned to each institution under the tables prescribed by
  Subsections (f) and (g).
         (e)  A number of points is assigned in accordance with
  Subsections (f) and (g) only on the basis of a degree or certificate
  awarded or a student transfer made during the state fiscal year
  preceding the year for which the distribution of funds under this
  section is made. Points may not be assigned for any degree or
  certificate awarded:
               (1)  in a program on a topic or at a level that the board
  determines does not merit funding under this section; or
               (2)  to an international student.
         (f)  A number of points is assigned for an associate degree
  or certificate awarded to a student by an institution to which this
  section applies according to the following tables:
  TABLE 1
 
POINTS
 
Associate Degree/Non-critical Field/Not At-Risk 2.0
 
Associate Degree/Non-critical Field/At-Risk 4.0
 
Associate Degree/Critical Field/Not At-Risk 4.0
 
Associate Degree/Critical Field/At-Risk 6.0
  TABLE 2
 
POINTS
 
Certificate Program/Non-critical Field/Not At-Risk 1.0
 
Certificate Program/Non-critical Field/At-Risk 2.0
 
Certificate Program/Critical Field/Not At-Risk 2.0
 
Certificate Program/Critical Field/At-Risk 3.0
         (g)  A number of points is assigned to an institution to
  which this section applies for each student of the institution who,
  in the preceding state fiscal year, completed at least 30 semester
  credit hours at the institution with a grade point average of at
  least 2.5 on the grading scale established by the board under
  Section 51.807 before transferring to a general academic teaching
  institution other than a public state college and determined
  according to the following table:
 
POINTS PER TRANSFER STUDENT
 
Not At-Risk 2.0
 
At-Risk 4.0
         Sec. 61.9803.  PERFORMANCE INCENTIVE FUNDING FOR MEDICAL AND
  DENTAL UNITS. (a) This section applies only to:
               (1)  medical and dental units; and
               (2)  the Baylor College of Medicine.
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided by rules adopted under
  Section 61.9806, for each state fiscal year, the board shall
  distribute any performance incentive funds appropriated by the
  legislature for the purposes of this section, and any other funds
  made available for the purposes of this section, to institutions to
  which this section applies in proportion to the number of points
  assigned to each institution under the table prescribed by
  Subsection (d).
         (c)  A number of points is assigned in accordance with
  Subsection (d) only on the basis of a degree awarded or a first
  residency completed during the state fiscal year preceding the year
  for which the distribution of funds under this section is made.
  Points may not be assigned for any degree awarded to an
  international student.
         (d)  A number of points is assigned for a degree awarded to a
  student by an institution to which this section applies based on the
  type of degree awarded or a first residency completed according to
  the following table:
 
TYPE OF DEGREE POINTS PER DEGREE
 
Bachelor's 1.0
 
Master's 1.0
 
Doctoral 1.0
 
First Residency Completed 1.0
         (e)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a
  number of points may be assigned under this section for a degree
  awarded or a first-year residency completed by a student of the
  Baylor College of Medicine only if the student was awarded the
  degree or completed the residency in a program at the college for
  which the college receives state funding under Subchapter D or I.
         Sec. 61.9804.  RULES. The board shall adopt rules for the
  administration of this subchapter.
         Sec. 61.9805.  REPORT BY INSTITUTIONS TO BOARD. Not later
  than September 1 of each year, each institution of higher education
  or other postsecondary educational institution to which this
  subchapter applies shall compile and submit to the board, in
  accordance with rules adopted by the board, a report that includes
  the following data regarding each student who was awarded a degree
  or certificate by the institution, completed a first residency with
  the institution, or transferred from the institution to a general
  academic teaching institution other than a public state college,
  during the preceding state fiscal year:
               (1)  the student's scores on the Scholastic Assessment
  Test and American College Test;
               (2)  the student's cumulative high school grade point
  average;
               (3)  the number of semester credit hours completed by
  the student at the institution;
               (4)  the student's grade point average on all
  coursework completed at the institution using the grading scale
  established by the board by rule under Section 51.807;
               (5)  whether the student received a grant under the
  federal Pell Grant program;
               (6)  the age of the student on the date the student
  initially enrolled in the institution;
               (7)  whether the student initially enrolled in the
  institution for less than 12 semester credit hours during a fall or
  spring semester;
               (8)  whether the student is an international student;
               (9)  whether any degree or certificate awarded to the
  student by the institution is in a field designated as a critical
  field under Section 61.9801 or Section 61.9802;
               (10)  whether the student did not receive a high school
  diploma but received a high school equivalency certificate;
               (11)  whether the student may not be claimed by any
  other person as a dependent for federal income tax purposes but may
  claim at least one other person as a dependent for federal income
  tax purposes;
               (12)  whether the student is a single parent; and
               (13)  any other information required by the board.
         Sec. 61.9806.  ADJUSTMENT OF FUNDING BASED ON QUALITY OF
  DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES AWARDED.  (a)  The board, in consultation
  with institutions of higher education or other postsecondary
  educational institutions to which this subchapter applies, by rule
  shall develop and adopt as an additional criteria by which points
  are assigned under Sections 61.9801, 61.9802, and 61.9803, or for
  which the points assigned under those sections are adjusted, a
  methodology designed to assess the quality of the degrees and
  certificates for which points are assigned under this subchapter.
         (b)  The methodology adopted under this section must:
               (1)  be designed to promote the maintenance or
  enhancement of the quality of degrees and certificates awarded by
  the institutions; and
               (2)  include minimum standards of quality that a degree
  or certificate awarded by an institution must satisfy in order to
  qualify for an assignment of points under this subchapter.
         (c)  The minimum standards required under Subsection (b)(2)
  may be established per graduate, per department, per institution,
  or based on any other unit of measurement the board considers
  appropriate.
         (d)  The board may consider for purposes of this section the
  following indicators to measure the quality of degrees or
  certificates:
               (1)  end-of-degree and end-of-certificate
  examinations, except that the board may not require a student's
  performance on such an examination authorized by the board to be
  used for purposes of this section to be used to determine the
  student's eligibility for graduation;
               (2)  a peer review process;
               (3)  accreditation status; and
               (4)  any other factor the board considers appropriate
  relating to the participation goals in Closing the Gaps, the
  state's master plan for higher education.
         (d-1) A student's performance on a standardized test may not
  be required for graduation from an institution of higher education,
  used as a measure of an institution's accountability, or used as an
  indicator or criterion under this section.
         (e)  Not later than January 31 of each even-numbered year,
  the board shall adopt the methodology required by this section
  applicable to the distribution of funds under this subchapter in
  the state fiscal biennium that begins in the following odd-numbered
  year.  Upon adoption, the board shall submit a copy of the
  methodology to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the
  house of representatives, chair of the senate finance committee,
  chair of the house committee on appropriations, and  members of each
  legislative standing committee or subcommittee with higher
  education oversight responsibility.
         (f)  The board shall adopt rules for the administration of
  this section.
         Sec. 61.9807.  REPORT TO BOARD AND LEGISLATURE BY EDUCATION
  RESEARCH CENTER REGARDING EVALUATION OF POINT ASSIGNMENTS. Each
  state fiscal biennium, the board shall provide for the evaluation
  by an education research center established under Section 1.005 of
  the points assigned under Sections 61.9801, 61.9802, and 61.9803 or
  under rules adopted by the board under Section 61.9806. Not later
  than November 1 of each even-numbered year, the education research
  center shall submit to the board and the legislature a written
  report regarding the center's evaluation under this section,
  including any recommendations for changes to the points assigned
  under those sections.
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.0591, Education Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 3.  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
  shall adopt rules relating to the administration of Subchapter EE,
  Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, as soon as
  practicable after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2008.
 
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