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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the alignment of courses between educational entities |
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in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.834 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.834. REGIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR COURSE SEQUENCING. |
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(a) The board, in coordination with the Texas Education Agency, |
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shall divide the state into regions for the purpose of establishing |
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a regional consortium among the institutions of higher education |
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and school districts located within each region. Each consortium |
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shall facilitate the development of sequences of courses toward the |
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25 degree programs at general academic teaching institutions with |
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the greatest student enrollment in each region, as identified by |
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the board under Subsection (b), and the alignment of each |
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endorsement described by Section 28.025(c-1) with degree plans for |
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those degree programs. |
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(b) For the purposes of this section, each general academic |
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teaching institution shall annually identify and report to the |
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board the 25 degree programs with the greatest student enrollment |
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at the institution. The board shall compile the information the |
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board receives from the general academic teaching institutions in |
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each regional consortium and report to each consortium the 25 |
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degree programs at general academic teaching institutions in that |
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consortium with the greatest overall student enrollment. |
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(c) For the purposes of this section, the release of student |
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information, including course, grade, and credit information, |
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between the institutions of higher education and the school |
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districts belonging to a regional consortium established under this |
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section serves the legitimate educational interest of a student for |
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whom consent would otherwise be required under the Family |
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Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section |
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1232g). |
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(d) The board and the Texas Education Agency shall adopt |
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rules for the operation of a regional consortium established under |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2020, the Texas |
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Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Education Agency |
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shall establish the regional consortiums required by Section |
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61.834, Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Each regional consortium shall develop the course |
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sequences and the alignment of endorsement plans required under |
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Section 61.834, Education Code, as added by this Act, to apply |
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beginning with course selection for the 2023-2024 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, 2019. |