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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to coordination of postsecondary curricula and to an |
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academic planning Internet website to support academic progress by |
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students enrolled at public institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 61.0764 and 61.0765 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0764. COORDINATION OF CURRICULA AT TWO-YEAR |
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INSTITUTIONS AND GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS. (a) In |
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this section, "two-year institution of higher education" means a |
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public junior college, public state college, or public technical |
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institute. |
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(b) The board shall collaborate with general academic |
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teaching institutions and two-year institutions of higher |
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education to: |
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(1) compare the curricula of the general academic |
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teaching institutions with the curricula of the two-year |
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institutions of higher education to determine if the curricula of |
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the two-year institutions of higher education satisfy the goals of: |
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(A) providing the prerequisite courses needed |
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for students to enroll in courses at general academic teaching |
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institutions; |
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(B) providing courses that will be generally |
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accepted for course credit by general academic teaching |
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institutions; and |
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(C) preparing students for academic success at |
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general academic teaching institutions; and |
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(2) ensure that the curricula of two-year institutions |
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of higher education satisfy the goals described by Subdivision (1), |
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and adopt any standards necessary for curricula and instruction at |
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two-year institutions of higher education and any plans necessary |
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to implement the standards. |
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(c) Each two-year institution of higher education shall |
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designate in the institution's student course catalog each course |
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that is not generally accepted for course credit by general |
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academic teaching institutions. |
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Sec. 61.0765. ACADEMIC PLANNING WEBSITE. (a) In this |
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section, "two-year institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.0764. |
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(b) The board shall maintain an Internet website that |
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includes: |
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(1) an enrollment guide for use by a student enrolled |
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in a two-year institution of higher education or general academic |
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teaching institution for planning and tracking the student's |
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progress toward completion of the student's degree or certificate |
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program; |
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(2) information concerning the recommended core |
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curriculum developed under Section 61.822, including information |
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describing courses included in the recommended core curriculum and |
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describing the core curriculum transfer provisions provided by that |
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section; |
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(3) information concerning major and minor areas of |
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study available at institutions of higher education; and |
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(4) any other information the board determines would |
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serve students enrolled at institutions of higher education in |
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developing and implementing academic plans and making academic |
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progress. |
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(c) Each institution of higher education shall, on the |
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primary admissions information page on the institution's Internet |
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website, provide a link to the board's Internet website maintained |
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under Subsection (b). |
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SECTION 2. The student course catalog of each two-year |
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institution of higher education must satisfy the requirements of |
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Section 61.0764(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning |
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with the 2011 fall semester. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |