BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 1091

By: Seliger

Higher Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties suggest that courses that may be offered for dual credit by public school districts and public institutions of higher education should be limited to courses in the core curriculum, career and technical education courses, or foreign language courses. C.S.S.B. 1091 seeks to enact such limitations.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 1091 amends the Education Code to require a dual credit course offered under a college credit program to be in the core curriculum of the public institution of higher education providing college credit, a career and technical education course, or a foreign language course. This requirement expressly does not apply to a dual credit course offered as part of the early college education program or any other early college program that assists a student in earning an associate degree while in high school.

C.S.S.B. 1091 clarifies that, with regard to the requirement that each institution of higher education that offers freshman-level courses adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to entering freshman students who have successfully completed one or more courses offered through concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of higher education, such courses are dual credit courses. The bill requires the policy to provide that the institution may grant undergraduate course credit for a dual credit course only if the course is in the core curriculum of the institution of higher education that offered the course, a career and technical education course, or a foreign language course. This requirement expressly does not apply to a dual credit course completed by a student as part of the early college education program or any other early college program that assists a student in earning an associate degree while in high school.

C.S.S.B. 1091 requires a course offered for joint high school and junior college credit to be in the core curriculum of the public junior college, a career and technical education course, or a foreign language course. This requirement expressly does not apply to a course offered for joint high school and junior college credit to a student as part of the early college education program or any other early college program that assists a student in earning an associate degree while in high school. The bill applies beginning with dual credit courses offered for the 2018 spring semester.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF SENATE ENGROSSED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.S.B. 1091 may differ from the engrossed in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the engrossed and committee substitute versions of the bill.

SENATE ENGROSSED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1. Section 28.009, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (a-4) and (a-5) to read as follows: (a-4) A dual credit course offered under this section must be: (1) in the core curriculum of the public institution of higher education providing college credit; (2) a career and technical education course; or (3) a foreign language course. (a-5) Subsection (a-4) does not apply to a dual credit course offered as part of the early college education program established under Section 29.908.	SECTION 1. Section 28.009, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (a-4) and (a-5) to read as follows: (a-4) A dual credit course offered under this section must be: (1) in the core curriculum of the public institution of higher education providing college credit; (2) a career and technical education course; or (3) a foreign language course. (a-5) Subsection (a-4) does not apply to a dual credit course offered as part of the early college education program established under Section 29.908 or any other early college program that assists a student in earning an associate degree while in high school.
SECTION 2. Section 51.968, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsections (d) and (d-1) to read as follows: (b) Each institution of higher education that offers freshman-level courses shall adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to 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;[,] or (3) [who have] successfully completed one or more dual credit courses [offered through concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of higher education]. (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 (2) based on the correlations identified under Subsection (f), identify the specific 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: (A) successfully completes the diploma program; (B) achieves required scores on CLEP examinations or Advanced Placement examinations; or (C) [, who] successfully completes a dual credit course [through concurrent enrollment, or who achieves required scores on CLEP examinations or Advanced Placement examinations]. (d) The policy adopted by an institution of higher education under Subsection (b) must provide that the institution may grant undergraduate course credit for a dual credit course only if the course is: (1) in the core curriculum of the institution of higher education that offered the course; (2) a career and technical education course; or (3) a foreign language course. (d-1) Subsection (d) does not apply to a dual credit course completed by a student as part of the early college education program established under Section 29.908.	SECTION 2. Section 51.968, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsections (d) and (d-1) to read as follows: (b) Each institution of higher education that offers freshman-level courses shall adopt and implement a policy to grant undergraduate course credit to 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; [,] or (3) [who have] successfully completed one or more dual credit courses [offered through concurrent enrollment in high school and at an institution of higher education]. (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 (2) based on the correlations identified under Subsection (f), identify the specific 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: (A) successfully completes the diploma program; (B) achieves required scores on CLEP examinations or Advanced Placement examinations; or (C) [, who] successfully completes a dual credit course [through concurrent enrollment, or who achieves required scores on CLEP examinations or Advanced Placement examinations]. (d) The policy adopted by an institution of higher education under Subsection (b) must provide that the institution may grant undergraduate course credit for a dual credit course only if the course is: (1) in the core curriculum of the institution of higher education that offered the course; (2) a career and technical education course; or (3) a foreign language course. (d-1) Subsection (d) does not apply to a dual credit course completed by a student as part of the early college education program established under Section 29.908 or any other early college program that assists a student in earning an associate degree while in high school.
SECTION 3. Section 130.008, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: (a-1) A course offered for joint high school and junior college credit under this section must be: (1) in the core curriculum of the public junior college; (2) a career and technical education course; or (3) a foreign language course. (a-2) Subsection (a-1) does not apply to a course offered for joint high school and junior college credit to a student as part of the early college education program established under Section 29.908.	SECTION 3. Section 130.008, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: (a-1) A course offered for joint high school and junior college credit under this section must be: (1) in the core curriculum of the public junior college; (2) a career and technical education course; or (3) a foreign language course. (a-2) Subsection (a-1) does not apply to a course offered for joint high school and junior college credit to a student as part of the early college education program established under Section 29.908 or any other early college program that assists a student in earning an associate degree while in high school.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply beginning with dual credit courses offered for the 2018 spring semester.	SECTION 4. Same as engrossed version.
SECTION 5. 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, 2017.	SECTION 5. Same as engrossed version.