AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

This bill would require public institutions of higher education to identify, adopt, and make available to the public learning outcome objectives for each undergraduate course.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1726 amends current law relating to the development of measurable 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.

 

SECTION BY SECTION 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, in an effort 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:

 

(1)  identify, adopt, and make available for public inspection measurable learning outcomes for each undergraduate course offered by the institution; and

 

(2)  require each undergraduate student to sign a student learning commitment developed by the institution for purposes of this section acknowledging that the student is aware of and understands the learning outcomes adopted for those courses that the student must successfully complete in order to complete the student's degree program.

 

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

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2011.