80R7192 CAS-D
 
  By: Shapleigh S.B. No. 1572
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to reports of performance data of private or independent
institutions of higher education and to the publication of that
data.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Section 61.0902, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
       Sec. 61.0902.  PUBLICATION OF PERFORMANCE DATA OF GENERAL
ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE OR INDEPENDENT
INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.  (a) The board shall administer a
program to publish performance data provided to the board under
this section by general academic teaching institutions and by
private or independent institutions of higher education that offer
one or more baccalaureate degrees [under this section].
       (b)  Not later than the next November 1 following the
completion of an academic year, each [general academic teaching]
institution described by Subsection (a) shall provide to the board
one or more reports containing data related to:
             (1)  the qualifications of the entering freshman class
for the academic year covered by the report, including:
                   (A)  the average [Texas Academic Skills Program
Test] scores of the class on an assessment instrument designated
under Section 51.3062;
                   (B)  the average scores of the class on each
generally recognized test or assessment used in college and
university undergraduate admissions, including the Scholastic
Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT);
                   (C)  the range of scores of the class from the 25th
to the 75th percentile on each generally recognized test or
assessment used in college and university undergraduate
admissions, including the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the
American College Test (ACT);
                   (D)  the overall grade point average of the class
for the academic year covered by the report;
                   (E)  the number of students in the class who
graduated in the top 10 percent of the student's high school
graduating class; and
                   (F)  enrollment percentages by ethnicity; and
             (2)  student performance and institution efficiency,
including:
                   (A)  the retention rate of full-time students
after the completion of one academic year at the institution;
                   (B)  the percentage of full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students who earn a baccalaureate degree before the
sixth anniversary of the date of the student's first enrollment at
the institution;
                   (C)  the percentage of lower-division semester
credit hours taught by tenured or tenure-track faculty;
                   (D)  the percentage of undergraduate classes with
fewer than 20 students;
                   (E)  the percentage of undergraduate classes with
more than 50 students;
                   (F)  the student-to-faculty ratio for
undergraduate students;
                   (G)  the percentage of students receiving
financial aid;
                   (H)  the average cost of tuition and fees for an
undergraduate student enrolled for 12 semester credit hours;
                   (I)  the average cost of on-campus room and board
for an academic year, excluding summer sessions;
                   (J)  the number of disciplines in which master's
degrees are offered;
                   (K)  the number of disciplines in which doctoral
degrees are offered;
                   (L)  a description of any departments, schools, or
certificate or degree programs of the institution that have a
statewide or national reputation for excellence; and
                   (M)  statistics regarding job placement rates for
students awarded certificates or degrees by the institution.
       (c)  Each year the board shall publish and post in a grid
format on the board's Internet site the names of the [general
academic teaching] institutions described by Subsection (a), the
performance data required by Subsection (b) for the most recent
academic year for which the data is available, and any other
information considered appropriate by the board. The board shall
use the classification system developed by the Carnegie Foundation
in publishing and posting the data and other information.
       (d)  Each [general academic teaching] institution described
by Subsection (a) shall provide a link on the institution's
Internet home page to the board's Internet site described by
Subsection (c).
       (e)  An [A general academic teaching] institution described
by Subsection (a) is not required to report to the board the data
required by Subsection (b) if the data is available to the board
from another source.
       SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies to the
reporting and publication of the performance data of private or
independent institutions of higher education under Section
61.0902, Education Code, as amended by this Act, beginning with the
data required to be reported not later than November 1, 2008.
       SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2007.