84R756 KEL-D

By: Wu H.B. No. 301

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the granting of undergraduate course credit by examination or assessment at public institutions of higher education; authorizing a fee.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 51.968, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 51.968. ALTERNATE METHODS FOR EARNING UNDERGRADUATE COURSE CREDIT [FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS COMPLETING POSTSECONDARY-LEVEL PROGRAM].

SECTION 2. Section 51.968(a)(4), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(4) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned [means an institution of higher education, as defined] by Section 61.003[, that offers freshman-level courses].

SECTION 3. Section 51.968, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (a-1), (a-2), (a-3), (d), and (f-1) and amending Subsections (b), (c), and (e) to read as follows:

(a-1) This section applies only to an institution of higher education that offers freshman-level and sophomore-level courses.

(a-2) To maximize opportunities for students to earn undergraduate course credit at the institution, each institution of higher education shall develop and, at least once during each academic year, administer one or more institution-specific examinations or assessments by which entering or current undergraduate students may earn freshman-level or sophomore-level course credit in the same manner as an entering freshman student may earn course credit through a CLEP examination or Advanced Placement examination. The institution may charge a student a reasonable fee for taking an examination or assessment described by this subsection. The institution shall develop and administer examinations or assessments for course credit for as many freshman-level and sophomore-level courses as practicable and may develop those examinations or assessments using source material from other institutions of higher education.

(a-3) Each institution of higher education that ceases to offer credit through the College-Level Examination Program or the Advanced Placement Program for a specific course shall offer credit for the course through an institution-specific examination or assessment administered under Subsection (a-2).

(b) Each institution of higher education [that offers freshman-level courses] shall adopt and implement a policy to grant [undergraduate] course credit for freshman-level and sophomore-level courses to undergraduate [entering freshman] students who have:

(1) successfully completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program;

(2)[, who have] achieved required scores on one or more examinations in the Advanced Placement Program or the College-Level Examination Program;

(3)[, or who have] successfully completed one or more courses offered through concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of higher education; or

(4) achieved required scores on one or more institution-specific examinations or assessments administered by the institution under Subsection (a-2).

(c) In the policy, the institution shall:

(1) establish the institution's conditions for granting course credit, including the minimum required scores on CLEP examinations, Advanced Placement examinations, [and] examinations for courses constituting the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, and institution-specific examinations or assessments administered by the institution under Subsection (a-2); and

(2) based on the correlations identified under Subsections [Subsection] (f) and (f-1), identify the specific freshman-level or sophomore-level course credit or other academic requirements of the institution, including the number of semester credit hours or other course credit, that the institution will grant to a student who successfully completes a course or program or achieves a required score on an examination or assessment as described by Subsection (b) [the diploma program, who successfully completes a course through concurrent enrollment, or who achieves required scores on CLEP examinations or Advanced Placement examinations].

(d) Each institution of higher education shall:

(1) report to the coordinating board:

(A) a list of courses for which the institution offers undergraduate students the opportunity to earn course credit through an institution-specific examination or assessment;

(B) the institution's policy adopted under this section; and

(C) a schedule of any fees charged for an examination or assessment administered under Subsection (a-2); and

(2) include a copy of the list, policy, and applicable fee schedule with the institution's undergraduate student application materials, including application materials available on the institution's Internet website.

(e) On request of an applicant for admission as an entering undergraduate student [freshman], an institution of higher education, based on information provided by the applicant, shall determine and notify the applicant regarding:

(1) the amount and type of any course credit that would or could be granted to the applicant under the policy; and

(2) any other academic requirement that the applicant would satisfy under the policy.

(f-1) An institution of higher education shall:

(1) identify correlations between the subject matter and content of courses offered by the institution and the subject matter and content of institution-specific examinations or assessments administered by the institution under Subsection (a-2); and

(2) make that information available to the public on the institution's Internet website.

SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year. An academic year occurring before that academic year is covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.