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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to developmental education programs under the Texas |
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Success Initiative for public institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.3062, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a-1), (i), (i-4), (l), (t), and (t-1) and |
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adding Subsection (f-1) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) In this section: |
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(1) "Basic academic skills education" means |
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non-course competency-based developmental education programs and |
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interventions designed for students whose performance falls |
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significantly below college readiness standards. |
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(2) "Program[, "program] evaluation" means a |
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systematic method of collecting, analyzing, and using information |
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to answer questions about developmental education courses, |
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interventions, and policies, particularly about their |
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effectiveness and cost-efficiency. |
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(f-1) For each assessment instrument designated by the |
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board for use under this section, the board shall prescribe a score |
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below which a student is eligible for basic academic skills |
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education. |
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(i) The institution of higher education may refer a student |
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to developmental coursework, including basic academic skills |
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education, as considered necessary by the institution to address a |
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student's deficiencies in the student's readiness to perform |
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freshman-level academic coursework, except that the institution |
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may not require enrollment in developmental coursework with respect |
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to a student previously determined under Subsection (q-1) or |
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determined by any institution of higher education to have met |
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college-readiness standards. An institution that requires a |
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student to enroll in developmental coursework must offer a range of |
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developmental coursework, including online coursework, or |
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instructional support that includes the integration of technology |
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to efficiently address the particular developmental needs of the |
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student. |
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(i-4) The board, in consultation with institutions of |
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higher education, shall develop and provide professional |
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development programs, including instruction in differentiated |
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instruction methods designed to address students' diverse learning |
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needs, to faculty and staff who provide developmental coursework, |
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including basic academic skills education, to students. |
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(l) The legislature shall appropriate money for approved |
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non-degree-credit developmental courses, including basic academic |
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skills education, except that legislative appropriations may not be |
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used for developmental coursework taken by a student in excess of: |
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(1) 18 semester credit hours, for a general academic |
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teaching institution; and |
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(2) 27 semester credit hours, for a public junior |
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college, public technical institute, or public state college. |
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(t) To allow a student to complete any necessary |
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developmental coursework in the most efficient and cost-effective |
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manner, the board shall encourage institutions of higher education |
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to offer various types of developmental coursework that address |
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various levels of deficiency in readiness to perform college |
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coursework for which course credit may be earned, as determined on |
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the basis of assessments as described by Subsection (f). The types |
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of developmental coursework may include: |
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(1) course-based programs; |
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(2) non-course-based programs, such as advising |
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programs; |
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(3) module format programs; |
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(4) competency-based education programs; [and] |
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(5) basic academic skills education, if applicable to |
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the student; and |
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(6) programs under which the student is pairing or |
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taking concurrently a developmental education course and another |
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course in the same subject area for which course credit may be |
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earned. |
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(t-1) The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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this section [Subsection (t)]. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies |
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beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |