H.B. No. 1054

AN ACT

relating to developmental education programs under the Texas Success Initiative for public institutions of higher education.

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

SECTION 1. Section 51.3062, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a-1), (i), (i-4), (l), (t), and (t-1) and adding Subsection (f-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) In this section:

(1) "Basic academic skills education" means non-course competency-based developmental education programs and interventions designed for students whose performance falls significantly below college readiness standards.

(2) "Program[, "program] evaluation" means a systematic method of collecting, analyzing, and using information to answer questions about developmental education courses, interventions, and policies, particularly about their effectiveness and cost-efficiency.

(f-1) For each assessment instrument designated by the board for use under this section, the board shall prescribe a score below which a student is eligible for basic academic skills education.

(i) The institution of higher education may refer a student to developmental coursework, including basic academic skills education, as considered necessary by the institution to address a student's deficiencies in the student's readiness to perform freshman-level academic coursework, except that the institution may not require enrollment in developmental coursework with respect to a student previously determined under Subsection (q-1) or determined by any institution of higher education to have met college-readiness standards. An institution that requires a student to enroll in developmental coursework must offer a range of developmental coursework, including online coursework, or instructional support that includes the integration of technology to efficiently address the particular developmental needs of the student.

(i-4) The board, in consultation with institutions of higher education, shall develop and provide professional development programs, including instruction in differentiated instruction methods designed to address students' diverse learning needs, to faculty and staff who provide developmental coursework, including basic academic skills education, to students.

(l) The legislature shall appropriate money for approved non-degree-credit developmental courses, including basic academic skills education, except that legislative appropriations may not be used for developmental coursework taken by a student in excess of:

(1) 18 semester credit hours, for a general academic teaching institution; and

(2) 27 semester credit hours, for a public junior college, public technical institute, or public state college.

(t) To allow a student to complete any necessary developmental coursework in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, the board shall encourage institutions of higher education to offer various types of developmental coursework that address various levels of deficiency in readiness to perform college coursework for which course credit may be earned, as determined on the basis of assessments as described by Subsection (f). The types of developmental coursework may include:

(1) course-based programs;

(2) non-course-based programs, such as advising programs;

(3) module format programs;

(4) competency-based education programs; [and]

(5) basic academic skills education, if applicable to the student; and

(6) programs under which the student is pairing or taking concurrently a developmental education course and another course in the same subject area for which course credit may be earned.

(t-1) The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section [Subsection (t)].

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1054 was passed by the House on April 16, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 2, 2 present, not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 1054 was passed by the Senate on May 22, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: _____________________

Date

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Governor