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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the exemption from the assessment requirements of the |
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Texas Success Initiative for students who successfully complete |
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certain college preparatory courses. |
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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 Subsection (q-2) and adding Subsections (q-3) and (q-4) to |
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read as follows: |
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(q-2) A student who successfully completes a college |
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preparatory course under Section 28.014 is exempt from the |
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requirements of this section with respect to the content area of the |
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course, provided that the student satisfies the requirements under |
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Subsection (q-3). The exemption is effective for the two-year |
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period following the date the student graduates from high school. |
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[The commissioner of higher education by rule shall establish the
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period for which an exemption under this subsection is valid.] The |
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exemption applies only at the institution of higher education that |
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partners with the school district in which the student is enrolled |
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to provide the course, except that the commissioner by rule may |
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determine the manner in which the exemption may be applied to |
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institutions of higher education other than the partnering |
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institution. |
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(q-3) A student receiving an exemption under Subsection |
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(q-2) must enroll in a college-level course in the exempted content |
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area during the student's first year of enrollment at an |
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institution of higher education occurring after the student |
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qualifies for the exemption. If the student earns a grade below a |
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"C" for the course, the institution shall advise the student of |
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non-course-based options for attaining college readiness, such as |
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tutoring or accelerated learning. |
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(q-4) The board shall: |
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(1) collect and analyze data regarding the |
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effectiveness of college preparatory courses provided under |
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Section 28.014 in assisting students to become ready to perform |
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college-level academic coursework, as measured by the rate at which |
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students receiving an exemption under Subsection (q-2) |
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successfully complete the course described by Subsection (q-3); and |
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(2) in November of each even-numbered year, submit a |
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report on the board's findings to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the standing |
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legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over higher |
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education, and each institution of higher education and school |
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district that offers a college preparatory course under Section |
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28.014. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies |
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beginning with the assessment of entering undergraduate students at |
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public institutions of higher education for the 2015 fall semester. |
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The assessment of an entering undergraduate student for an academic |
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term before that semester is covered by the law in effect before the |
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effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for |
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that purpose. |
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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. |