BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

S.B. 1726

By: Zaffirini

Higher Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

S.B. 1726 amends current law relating to the development of measureable learning outcomes for undergraduate courses at public institutions of higher education.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 51.96851, Education Code) of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.96851, as follows:

 

Sec. 51.96851.  LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR UNDERGRADUATE COURSES.  (a)  Defines, in this section, "institution of higher education."

 

(b) Requires each institution of higher education,  to foster a transparent student learning environment at institutions of higher education and to facilitate the universal articulation of undergraduate courses that are transferable for credit among all institutions of higher education, to identify, adopt, and make available for public inspection measurable learning outcomes for each undergraduate course offered by the institution other than:

 

(1) a course with a highly variable subject content that is tailored specifically to an individual student, such as an independent study or directed reading course; or

 

(2) a laboratory, practicum, or discussion section that is an intrinsic and required component of a lecture course.

 

(c) Authorizes an institution of higher education to adopt learning outcomes for a course under this section that are the same as or based on those identified for that course by the institution's recognized accrediting agency.

 

 (d) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), in consultation with institutions of higher education, to adopt any rules THECB considers appropriate for the administration of this section.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2011.