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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to measures to facilitate the transfer, academic progress, |
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and timely graduation of students in public higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.9685(a)(2), Education Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(2) "Institution of higher education" has [and "public
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junior college" have] the meaning [meanings] assigned by Section |
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61.003. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.9685, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (b), (c), and (g) and adding Subsection (c-2) |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (c), each |
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student enrolled in an associate or bachelor's degree program at an |
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institution of higher education shall file a degree plan with the |
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institution after the 12th class day but before [not later than] the |
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end of the [second regular] semester or term immediately following |
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the semester or term in which the student earned a cumulative total |
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of 30 [45] or more semester credit hours for coursework |
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successfully completed by the student, including transfer courses, |
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international baccalaureate courses, dual credit courses, and any |
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other course for which the institution the student attends has |
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awarded the student college course credit, including course credit |
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awarded by examination. |
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(c) A student to whom Subsection (b) [this section] applies |
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who begins the student's first semester or term at an institution of |
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higher education with 30 [45] or more semester credit hours of |
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course credit for courses described by Subsection (b) shall file a |
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degree plan with the institution after the 12th class day but before |
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[not later than] the end of that [the student's second regular] |
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semester or term [at the institution]. |
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(c-2) A student enrolled in a dual credit course at an |
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institution of higher education and to whom Subsection (b) does not |
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apply shall file a degree plan with the institution not later than: |
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(1) the end of the second regular semester or term |
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immediately following the semester or term in which the student |
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earned a cumulative total of 15 or more semester credit hours of |
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course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the |
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student; or |
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(2) if the student begins the student's first semester |
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or term at the institution with 15 or more semester credit hours of |
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course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the |
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student, the end of the student's second regular semester or term at |
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the institution. |
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(g) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in |
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consultation with institutions of higher education, shall [may] |
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adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section. In |
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adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the |
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negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government |
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Code. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 51.96852, 51.96853, and 51.96854 to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 51.96852. RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(2) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(b) Each institution of higher education shall develop at |
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least one recommended course sequence for each undergraduate |
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certificate or degree program offered by the institution. Each |
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recommended course sequence must: |
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(1) identify all required lower-division courses for |
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the applicable certificate or degree program; |
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(2) include for each course, if applicable, the course |
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number or course equivalent under the common course numbering |
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system approved by the coordinating board under Section 61.832; |
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(3) be designed to enable a full-time student to |
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obtain a certificate or degree, as applicable, within: |
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(A) for an associate degree or certificate |
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program, two years; or |
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(B) for a baccalaureate degree program, four |
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years; and |
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(4) include a specific sequence in which courses |
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should be completed to ensure completion of the applicable program |
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within the time frame described by Subdivision (3). |
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(c) Each institution of higher education shall: |
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(1) include the recommended course sequences |
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developed under this section in the institution's course catalog |
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and on the institution's Internet website; and |
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(2) submit the recommended course sequences developed |
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under this section to the coordinating board as provided by |
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coordinating board rule. |
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(d) In adopting rules under this section, the coordinating |
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board shall consult with institutions of higher education. |
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Sec. 51.96853. TRANSFER OF CREDIT FROM LOWER-DIVISION |
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INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS. (a) In |
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this section: |
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(1) "Articulation agreement" means a formal written |
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agreement between a lower-division institution of higher education |
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and a general academic teaching institution identifying courses |
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offered by the lower-division institution that must be accepted for |
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credit toward specific course requirements at the general academic |
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teaching institution. |
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(2) "General academic teaching institution" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(3) "Lower-division institution of higher education" |
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means a public junior college, public state college, or public |
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technical institute, as those terms are defined by Section 61.003. |
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(b) Each general academic teaching institution may enter |
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into an articulation agreement with a lower-division institution of |
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higher education for a certificate or degree program for which |
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students transferring from the lower-division institution to the |
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general academic teaching institution receive transfer credit. |
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(c) An articulation agreement entered into under Subsection |
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(b) may use fields of study curricula developed by the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board under Section 61.823. |
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(d) A general academic teaching institution may extend an |
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existing articulation agreement entered into under Subsection (b) |
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to another lower-division institution of higher education with |
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respect to the transfer of courses from that lower-division |
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institution of higher education to the general academic teaching |
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institution, on request by that lower-division institution of |
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higher education. |
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(e) An articulation agreement established under this |
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section may enable a transfer student to receive up to 60 semester |
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credit hours for courses completed at the lower-division |
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institution of higher education. |
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(f) A general academic teaching institution's participation |
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in an articulation agreement under this section does not affect the |
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institution's admissions policies. |
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Sec. 51.96854. DECLARATION OF META MAJOR. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 61.003. |
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(2) "Meta major" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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61.821. |
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(b) Each student enrolled at an institution of higher |
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education in an associate or bachelor's degree program or in a dual |
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credit course shall file with the institution a declaration of the |
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meta major under which the student intends to earn a degree after |
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the 12th class day but before the end of the semester or term |
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immediately following the semester or term in which the student |
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earned a cumulative total of 15 or more semester credit hours for |
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coursework successfully completed by the student, including |
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transfer courses, international baccalaureate courses, dual credit |
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courses, and any other course for which the institution the student |
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attends has awarded the student college course credit, including |
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course credit awarded by examination. |
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(c) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in |
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consultation with institutions of higher education, shall adopt |
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rules as necessary for the administration of this section. In |
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adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the |
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negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government |
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Code. |
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SECTION 4. Section 61.821, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows: |
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(4) "Meta major" means a collection of programs of |
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study or academic disciplines that share common foundational |
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skills. |
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SECTION 5. Section 61.822, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a-1), (b), (c), and (d) and adding |
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Subsections (a-2), (a-3), (b-1), (f), and (g) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) The board, with the assistance of advisory committees |
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composed of representatives of institutions of higher education or |
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university systems designated by the applicable institution or |
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system, shall develop a recommended core curriculum of at least 42 |
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semester credit hours, including a statement of the content, |
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component areas, and objectives of the core curriculum. At least a |
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majority of the members of any advisory committee named under this |
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section shall be faculty members of an institution of higher |
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education. [An institution shall consult with the faculty of the
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institution before nominating or recommending a person to the board
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as the institution's representative on an advisory committee.] |
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(a-2) The recommended core curriculum developed under |
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Subsection (a-1) must have the following components: |
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(1) a general core curriculum of at least 24 semester |
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credit hours that includes: |
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(A) six semester credit hours in: |
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(i) American or Texas history; and |
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(ii) government or political science; and |
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(B) three semester credit hours in: |
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(i) communications; |
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(ii) language, philosophy, or culture; |
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(iii) creative arts; and |
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(iv) a component area provided by board |
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rule; and |
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(2) for each meta major under Subsection (a-3), an |
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academic discipline core curriculum of not more than 18 semester |
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credit hours specific to that meta major and that includes: |
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(A) six semester credit hours in life sciences or |
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physical sciences; and |
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(B) three semester credit hours in: |
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(i) mathematics; |
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(ii) behavioral science; |
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(iii) communications; and |
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(iv) a component area provided by board |
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rule. |
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(a-3) The board shall develop a recommended academic |
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discipline core curriculum under Subsection (a-2) for each of the |
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following meta majors: |
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(1) arts, humanities, communications, and design; |
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(2) business; |
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(3) education; |
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(4) health sciences; |
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(5) industry, manufacturing, and construction; |
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(6) public safety; |
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(7) science, technology, engineering, and |
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mathematics; and |
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(8) social and behavioral sciences and human services. |
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(b) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core |
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curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours, including |
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specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core curriculum |
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shall: |
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(1) include a general core curriculum and for each |
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meta major, an academic discipline core curriculum as described by |
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Subsection (a-2); and |
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(2) be consistent with the common course numbering |
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system approved by the board and with the statement, |
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recommendations, and rules issued by the board. |
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(b-1) An institution may have a core curriculum of other |
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than 42 semester credit hours only if approved by the board. |
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(c) If a student successfully completes the 42-hour core |
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curriculum or the general core curriculum or academic discipline |
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core curriculum at an institution of higher education, that block |
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of courses may be transferred to any other institution of higher |
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education and must be substituted for the receiving institution's |
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core curriculum, general core curriculum, or academic discipline |
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core curriculum, as applicable. A student shall receive academic |
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credit for each of the courses transferred and may not be required |
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to take additional core curriculum, general core curriculum, or |
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academic discipline core curriculum courses, as applicable, at the |
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receiving institution unless the board has approved a larger core |
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curriculum at the institution. |
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(d) A student who transfers from one institution of higher |
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education to another without completing the core curriculum of the |
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sending institution shall receive academic credit from the |
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receiving institution toward that institution's general core |
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curriculum or academic discipline core curriculum, as applicable, |
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for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed |
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in the core curriculum of the sending institution. Following |
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receipt of credit for these courses, the student may be required to |
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satisfy any remaining [further] course requirements in the core |
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curriculum of the receiving institution. |
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(f) Each institution of higher education shall: |
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(1) identify in the institution's course catalog and |
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on the institution's Internet website: |
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(A) each course offered by the institution that |
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fulfills a course requirement in the institution's general core |
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curriculum or academic discipline core curriculum and the specific |
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course requirement that the course fulfills; and |
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(B) the meta major with which each degree or |
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certificate program offered by the institution is associated; |
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(2) provide to the board in accordance with board rule |
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the institution's general core curriculum and academic discipline |
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core curriculum and the information described by Subdivision |
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(1)(A); and |
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(3) advise each student enrolled at the institution |
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regarding the importance of taking coherent sequences of courses in |
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the core curriculum that are aligned with the student's academic |
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and career goals. |
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(g) To assist in advising a student regarding the selection |
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of coherent sequences of courses in the core curriculum that are |
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aligned with the student's academic and career goals, the board |
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shall make available to each institution of higher education and to |
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school counselors and other postsecondary advisors employed by a |
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school district or open-enrollment charter school information |
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regarding: |
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(1) the general core curriculum and academic |
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discipline core curriculum required under Subsection (b); and |
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(2) the transferability of course credit between |
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institutions of higher education for courses in the core curriculum |
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as provided by this section. |
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SECTION 6. Section 61.827, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.827. RULES. (a) The board is authorized to adopt |
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rules implementing the provisions of this subchapter. |
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(b) In adopting rules regarding the recommended core |
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curriculum developed under Section 61.822, the board shall use the |
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negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government |
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Code. |
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SECTION 7. Sections 130.0104(b) and (c), Education Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A multidisciplinary studies associate degree program |
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established at a junior college under this section must require a |
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student to successfully complete: |
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(1) the junior college's core curriculum adopted under |
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Section 61.822 [61.822(b)]; and |
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(2) after completion of the core curriculum under |
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Subdivision (1), the courses selected by the student in the |
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student's degree plan completed under Subsection (c). |
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(c) In complying with the requirements regarding the filing |
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of a degree plan under [Notwithstanding] Section 51.9685, [before
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the beginning of the regular semester or term immediately following
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the semester or term in which] a student enrolled [successfully
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completes a cumulative total of 30 or more semester credit hours for
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coursework] in a multidisciplinary studies associate degree |
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program established under this section [, the student] must meet |
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with an academic advisor to complete a degree plan [, as defined by
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Section 51.9685(a)(1),] that: |
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(1) accounts for all remaining credit hours required |
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for the completion of the degree program; and |
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(2) emphasizes: |
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(A) the student's transition to a particular |
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four-year college or university that the student chooses; and |
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(B) preparations for the student's intended |
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field of study or major at the four-year college or university. |
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SECTION 8. Section 51.9685(c-1), Education Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 9. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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section, this Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 academic |
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year. |
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(b) Sections 51.96852, 51.96853, and 51.96854, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, and Section 61.822, Education Code, as |
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amended by this Act, apply beginning with the 2021-2022 academic |
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year. |
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SECTION 10. Not later than May 31, 2021, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall develop a recommended core |
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curriculum that conforms to the requirements of Section 61.822, |
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Education Code, as amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 11. This Act takes effect immediately if it |
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receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each |
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house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. |
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If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate |
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effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |