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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the granting of undergraduate course credit by advanced |
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placement examination at 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 51.968, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) In establishing the minimum required score on an |
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Advanced Placement examination for granting course credit under |
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Subsection (c), an institution of higher education may not require |
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a score of more than three unless the institution determines that |
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there is a compelling academic reason for requiring a higher score |
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on that examination or to receive credit for a particular course. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0518 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0518. STUDY ON UNDERGRADUATE COURSE CREDIT FOR |
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ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATIONS. (a) In this section, "Advanced |
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Placement examination" has the meaning assigned by Section 51.968. |
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(b) Biennially, the board shall conduct a study on the |
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performance of undergraduate students at institutions of higher |
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education who receive undergraduate course credit for achieving |
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required scores on one or more Advanced Placement examinations. |
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(c) The study must compare the academic performance, |
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retention rates, and graduation rates at institutions of higher |
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education of students who receive course credit for a score of three |
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on an Advanced Placement examination and students who receive |
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course credit for a score of four or five on that examination. |
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(d) Each institution of higher education shall submit to the |
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board any data requested by the board as necessary for the board to |
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carry out its duties under this section. |
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(e) Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the |
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board shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
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speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing |
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legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over higher |
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education a report regarding the results of the study and any |
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recommendations for legislative or administrative action. |
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(f) The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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this section in a manner that ensures compliance with federal law |
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regarding confidentiality of student educational information, |
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including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 |
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U.S.C. Section 1232g). |
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SECTION 3. (a) Section 51.968(c-1), Education Code, as |
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added by this Act, applies to entering freshman students at |
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institutions of higher education beginning with the 2016 fall |
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semester. |
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(b) Not later than January 1, 2017, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall submit its initial report |
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required by Section 61.0518(e), Education Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |