BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.S.B. 174
81R22585 KSD-F By: Shapiro, Shapleigh
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Parents and students need to make informed decisions regarding the student's higher education future. Currently, there is no easily accessible, comprehensive list of information about a higher education institution to help parents and students make informed decisions regarding which institution of higher education is the best for their needs.
Policy makers need to make informed decisions regarding funding for higher education institutions. Currently, there is no easily accessible, comprehensive list of information about a higher education institution to help policymakers make decisions regarding higher education.
C.S.S.B. 174 amends current law to provide for online institution resumes for public institutions of higher education.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority previously granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is modified in SECTION 1 (Sections 51A.002, 51A.052, 51A.102, 51A.103, 51A.152, and 51A.153, Education Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subtitle A, Title 3, Education Code, by adding Chapter 51A, as follows:
CHAPTER 51A. ONLINE INSTITUTION RESUMES FOR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 51A.001. DEFINITIONS. Defines "coordinating board," "general academic teaching institution," "institution of higher education," "medical and dental unit," "public state college," and "public technical institute."
Sec. 51A.002. POWERS AND DUTIES OF COORDINATING BOARD RELATING TO INSTITUTION RESUMES; GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTITUTION RESUMES. (a) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), in consultation with each institution of higher education (institution) to which this chapter applies, to develop and maintain online resumes for each of those institutions.
(b) Requires THECB to request from each institution to which this chapter applies any information THECB considers necessary for THECB to include information or calculate data required to be included in the institution's resume; establish for each institution to which this chapter applies a list of representative in-state and out-of-state peer institutions and maintain that list on THECB's Internet website; ensure that each institution's online resumes meet certain guidelines; and ensure that the information provided in each resume is accurate and up to date and includes the most recent data available for out-of-state peer institutions.
(c) Authorizes THECB to modify, as THECB considers necessary, national data regarding an institution's out-of-state peer institutions to ensure uniformity in the comparison of that data to data regarding the institution for which the resume is created and the institution's in-state peer institutions in a resume under this chapter.
(d) Provides that THECB is not required to include in the resume any category of information that is unavailable to THECB.
Sec. 51A.003. DUTIES OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION RELATING TO INSTITUTION RESUMES. Requires each institution to which this chapter applies to submit to THECB any information requested by THECB as necessary for THECB to include information or calculate data required to be included in the institution's resumes; and ensure that the institution's Internet website homepage includes, in a prominent place, an accessible link to the institution's online resumes maintained on THECB's Internet website.
[Reserves Sections 51A.004-51A.050 for expansion.]
SUBCHAPTER B. ONLINE INSTITUTION RESUMES FOR FOUR-YEAR GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS
Sec. 51A.051. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. Provides that this subchapter applies only to general academic teaching institutions, other than public state colleges.
Sec. 51A.052. INSTITUTION RESUME FOR LEGISLATORS AND OTHER POLICYMAKERS. (a) Requires THECB to maintain for each institution to which this subchapter applies an online resume that is designed for use by legislators and other interested policymakers.
(b) Requires that the resume required by this section identify the institutional grouping to which the institution is assigned under THECB's higher education accountability system, and the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions.
(c) Requires that, for purposes of this section, information required to be included in the resume regarding the institution's in-state or out-of-state peer institutions be listed in the form of the average of that information for those institutions unless otherwise prescribed by THECB rule.
(d) Requires that the resume include certain information under the headings "ENROLLMENT," "COSTS," "STUDENT SUCCESS," and "FUNDING" relating to the institution for the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available, and compare that information to the same information for the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available and the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available by five years.
Sec. 51A.053. INSTITUTION RESUME FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. (a) Requires THECB to maintain for each institution to which this subchapter applies an online resume that is designed for use by prospective students of the institution, their parents, and other interested members of the public. Provides that a resume required for an institution under this section is not required to include information that THECB considers to be substantially duplicative of information reported and available to the public through the Voluntary System of Accountability Program.
(b) Requires that the resume identify the institutional grouping to which the institution is assigned under THECB's higher education accountability system; and the institution's in-state peer institutions.
(c) Requires that the resume, except as otherwise provided by THECB under Subsection (a), include certain information under the headings "ENROLLMENT," "DEGREES AWARDED," "COSTS," "FINANCIAL AID," "ADMISSIONS," "INSTRUCTION," "BACCALAUREATE SUCCESS," AND "FIRST-TIME LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION PASS RATES" relating to the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available.
[Reserves Sections 51A.054-51A.100 for expansion.]
SUBCHAPTER C. INSTITUTION RESUMES FOR LOWER-DIVISION INSTITUTIONS
Sec. 51A.101. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. Provides that this subchapter applies only to the following institutions: public junior colleges, public technical institutes, and public state colleges.
Sec. 51A.102. INSTITUTION RESUME FOR LEGISLATORS AND OTHER POLICY MAKERS. (a) Requires THECB to maintain for each institution to which this subchapter applies an online resume for the institution designed for use by legislators and other interested policymakers.
(b) Requires that the resume identify the institutional grouping to which the institution is assigned under THECB's higher education accountability system, and the institution's in-state peer institutions.
(c) Requires that, for purposes of this section, information required to be included on the resume regarding the institution's in-state peer institutions be listed in the form of the average of that information for those institutions unless otherwise prescribed by THECB rule.
(d) Requires that the resume include the following information under the headings "ENROLLMENT," "COSTS," "STUDENT SUCCESS," and "FUNDING" relating to the institution for the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available, and compare that information to the same information for the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available and the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available by five years.
Sec. 51A.103. INSTITUTION RESUME FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. (a) Requires THECB to maintain for each institution to which this subchapter applies an online resume that is designed for use by prospective students of the institution, their parents, and other interested members of the public.
(b) Requires that the resume identify the institutional grouping to which the institution is assigned under THECB's higher education accountability system, and the institution's in-state peer institutions.
(c) Requires that, for purposes of this section, information required to be included in the resume regarding the institution's in-state peer institutions be listed in the form of the average of that information for those institutions unless otherwise prescribed by THECB rule.
(d) Requires that the resume include certain information under the headings "ENROLLMENT," "DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES AWARDED," "COSTS," "FINANCIAL AID," and "STUDENT SUCCESS" relating to the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available.
[Reserves Sections 51A.104-51A.150 for expansion.]
SUBCHAPTER D. ONLINE INSTITUTION RESUMES FOR MEDICAL AND DENTAL UNITS
Sec. 51A. 151. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. Provides that this subchapter applies only to medical and dental units.
Sec. 51A.152. INSTITUTION RESUME FOR LEGISLATORS AND OTHER POLICY MAKERS. (a) Requires THECB to maintain for each institution to which this subchapter applies an online resume designed for use by legislators and other interested policy makers.
(b) Requires that the resume identify the institutional grouping to which the institution is assigned under THECB's higher education accountability system, and the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions.
(c) Requires that, for purposes of this section, information required to be included in the resume regarding the institution's in-state or out-of-state peer institutions be listed in the form of the average of that information for those institutions unless otherwise prescribed by THECB rule.
(d) Requires that the resume include certain information under the headings "ENROLLMENT," "COSTS," "STUDENT SUCCESS," and "FUNDING" relating to the institution for the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available, and compare that information to the same information for the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available and the state fiscal year preceding the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available by five years.
Sec. 51A.153. INSTITUTION RESUME FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS, PARENTS, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. (a) Requires THECB to maintain for each institution to which this subchapter applies an online resume that is designed for use by prospective students of the institution, their parents, and other interested members of the public.
(b) Requires that the resume identify the institutional grouping to which the institution is assigned under THECB's higher education accountability system, and the institution's in-state and out-of-state peer institutions.
(c) Requires that, for purposes of this section, information required to be included in the resume regarding the institution's in-state peer institutions be listed in the form of the average of that information for those institutions unless otherwise prescribed by THECB rules.
(d) Requires that the resume include certain information under the headings "ENROLLMENT," "COSTS," "FINANCIAL AID", "STUDENT SUCCESS," and "FIRST-TIME LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION PASS RATES" relating to the most recent state fiscal year for which the information is available.
SECTION 2. Requires THECB to create the online institution resumes required by Chapter 51A, Education Code, as added by this Act, and provide the resumes on THECB's Internet website not later than February 1, 2010.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.