AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The P-16 College Readiness and Success Action Plan was originally created to decrease the number of students needing developmental education.  S.B. 1509 is a clean-up bill to allow the P-16 Council to identify existing higher education bridge programs, professional development programs, and any other program that promotes "Closing the Gaps," rather than requiring the development of new programs.  It also removes the reporting requirement for the council.  Lastly, to promote success in higher education, S.B. 1509 reduces the number of semester credit hours required for notification of associate's degree eligibility from 90 semester credit hours to 66 semester credit hours.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1509 amends current law relating to college readiness and success.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is previously granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is modified in SECTION 2 (Section 61.0762, Education Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 61.0517(a), Education Code, as follows:

 

(a)  Provides that in this section, "applied STEM course" means an applied science, technology, engineering, or mathematics course offered as part of a school district's career and technology education curriculum and approved, as provided by Section 28.027 (Applied Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Courses), by the State Board of Education (SBOE) for purposes of satisfying the mathematics and science curriculum requirements, including college readiness standards, for the recommended high school program under Section 28.025(b-1)(1)(A) (relating to requiring SBOE by rule to require certain curriculum requirements for the recommended and advanced high school programs including a requirement that students successfully complete four credits in each subject of the foundation curriculum), rather than for the recommended high school program imposed under Section 28.025(b-1)(1)(A).  Authorizes the term to include a course offered for dual credit.

 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 61.0762(a), Education Code, as follows:

 

(a)  Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) by rule, to implement the college readiness and success strategic action plan adopted under Section 61.0761 (P-16 College Readiness and Success Strategic Action Plan) and to enhance the success of students at institutions of higher education, to:

 

(1)  develop or identify higher education bridge programs in the subject areas of mathematics, science, social science, or English language arts to increase student success by reducing the need for developmental education;

 

(2)-(3)  Makes no change to these subdivisions;

 

(4) develop or identify professional development programs for faculty of institutions of higher education on college readiness standards and the implications of such standards on instruction; and

 

(5) develop or identify other programs as determined by THECB that support the participation and success goals in "Closing the Gaps," the state's master plan for higher education, with qualifications and requirements for student participation and institutional or public school eligibility determined by the commissioner of higher education (commissioner) or the commissioner's designee.

 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 61.833(b), Education Code, to provide that this section applies to a student enrolled in a general academic teaching institution who meets certain criteria, including a student who has earned a cumulative total of at least 66 credit hours, rather than 90 credit hours, for course work successfully completed.

 

SECTION 4.  Repealer:  Section 61.0761(d) (relating to requiring the commissioner of education and THECB to submit a report to certain entities and describing progress in implementing the college readiness and success strategic action plan), Education Code.

 

SECTION 5.  Effective date:  September 1, 2013.