86R26295 KJE-D
 
  By: Turner of Tarrant H.B. No. 4018
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4018:
 
  By:  Turner of Tarrant C.S.H.B. No. 4018
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to measures to facilitate the transfer, academic progress,
  and timely graduation of students in public higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 51.9685(a)(2), Education Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
               (2)  "Institution of higher education" has [and "public
  junior college" have] the meaning [meanings] assigned by Section
  61.003.
         SECTION 2.  Section 51.9685, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (b), (c), and (g) and adding Subsection (c-2)
  to read as follows:
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (c), each
  student enrolled in an associate or bachelor's degree program at an
  institution of higher education shall file a degree plan with the
  institution after the 12th class day but before [not later than] the
  end of the [second regular] semester or term immediately following
  the semester or term in which the student earned a cumulative total
  of 30 [45] or more semester credit hours for coursework
  successfully completed by the student, including transfer courses,
  international baccalaureate courses, dual credit courses, and any
  other course for which the institution the student attends has
  awarded the student college course credit, including course credit
  awarded by examination.
         (c)  A student to whom Subsection (b) [this section] applies
  who begins the student's first semester or term at an institution of
  higher education with 30 [45] or more semester credit hours of
  course credit for courses described by Subsection (b) shall file a
  degree plan with the institution after the 12th class day but before 
  [not later than] the end of that [the student's second regular]
  semester or term [at the institution].
         (c-2)  A student enrolled in a dual credit course at an
  institution of higher education and to whom Subsection (b) does not
  apply shall file a degree plan with the institution not later than:
               (1)  the end of the second regular semester or term
  immediately following the semester or term in which the student
  earned a cumulative total of 15 or more semester credit hours of
  course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the
  student; or
               (2)  if the student begins the student's first semester
  or term at the institution with 15 or more semester credit hours of
  course credit for dual credit courses successfully completed by the
  student, the end of the student's second regular semester or term at
  the institution.
         (g)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in
  consultation with institutions of higher education, shall [may]
  adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this section.  In
  adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the
  negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government
  Code.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 51.96852, 51.96853, and 51.96854 to read
  as follows:
         Sec. 51.96852.  RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES. (a) In this
  section:
               (1)  "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board.
               (2)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 61.003.
         (b)  Each institution of higher education shall develop at
  least one recommended course sequence for each undergraduate
  certificate or degree program offered by the institution. Each
  recommended course sequence must:
               (1)  identify all required lower-division courses for
  the applicable certificate or degree program;
               (2)  include for each course, if applicable, the course
  number or course equivalent under the common course numbering
  system approved by the coordinating board under Section 61.832;
               (3)  be designed to enable a full-time student to
  obtain a certificate or degree, as applicable, within:
                     (A)  for an associate degree or certificate
  program, two years; or
                     (B)  for a baccalaureate degree program, four
  years; and
               (4)  include a specific sequence in which courses
  should be completed to ensure completion of the applicable program
  within the time frame described by Subdivision (3).
         (c)  Each institution of higher education shall:
               (1)  include the recommended course sequences
  developed under this section in the institution's course catalog
  and on the institution's Internet website; and
               (2)  submit the recommended course sequences developed
  under this section to the coordinating board as provided by
  coordinating board rule.
         (d)  In adopting rules under this section, the coordinating
  board shall consult with institutions of higher education.
         Sec. 51.96853.  TRANSFER OF CREDIT FROM LOWER-DIVISION
  INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION; ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS. (a) In
  this section:
               (1)  "Articulation agreement" means a formal written
  agreement between a lower-division institution of higher education
  and a general academic teaching institution identifying courses
  offered by the lower-division institution that must be accepted for
  credit toward specific course requirements at the general academic
  teaching institution.
               (2)  "General academic teaching institution" has the
  meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
               (3)  "Lower-division institution of higher education"
  means a public junior college, public state college, or public
  technical institute, as those terms are defined by Section 61.003.
         (b)  Each general academic teaching institution may enter
  into an articulation agreement with a lower-division institution of
  higher education for a certificate or degree program for which
  students transferring from the lower-division institution to the
  general academic teaching institution receive transfer credit.
         (c)  An articulation agreement entered into under Subsection
  (b) may use fields of study curricula developed by the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board under Section 61.823.
         (d)  A general academic teaching institution may extend an
  existing articulation agreement entered into under Subsection (b)
  to another lower-division institution of higher education with
  respect to the transfer of courses from that lower-division
  institution of higher education to the general academic teaching
  institution, on request by that lower-division institution of
  higher education.
         (e)  An articulation agreement established under this
  section may enable a transfer student to receive up to 60 semester
  credit hours for courses completed at the lower-division
  institution of higher education.
         (f)  A general academic teaching institution's participation
  in an articulation agreement under this section does not affect the
  institution's admissions policies.
         Sec. 51.96854.  DECLARATION OF META MAJOR. (a) In this
  section:
               (1)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 61.003.
               (2)  "Meta major" has the meaning assigned by Section
  61.821.
         (b)  Each student enrolled at an institution of higher
  education in an associate or bachelor's degree program or in a dual
  credit course shall file with the institution a declaration of the
  meta major under which the student intends to earn a degree after
  the 12th class day but before the end of the semester or term
  immediately following the semester or term in which the student
  earned a cumulative total of 15 or more semester credit hours for
  coursework successfully completed by the student, including
  transfer courses, international baccalaureate courses, dual credit
  courses, and any other course for which the institution the student
  attends has awarded the student college course credit, including
  course credit awarded by examination.
         (c)  The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, in
  consultation with institutions of higher education, shall adopt
  rules as necessary for the administration of this section. In
  adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the
  negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government
  Code.
         SECTION 4.  Section 61.821, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subdivision (4) to read as follows:
               (4)  "Meta major" means a collection of programs of
  study or academic disciplines that share common foundational
  skills.
         SECTION 5.  Section 61.822, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a-1), (b), (c), and (d) and adding
  Subsections (a-2), (a-3), (b-1), (f), and (g) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  The board, with the assistance of advisory committees
  composed of representatives of institutions of higher education or
  university systems designated by the applicable institution or
  system, shall develop a recommended core curriculum of at least 42
  semester credit hours, including a statement of the content,
  component areas, and objectives of the core curriculum. At least a
  majority of the members of any advisory committee named under this
  section shall be faculty members of an institution of higher
  education.  [An institution shall consult with the faculty of the
  institution before nominating or recommending a person to the board
  as the institution's representative on an advisory committee.]
         (a-2)  The recommended core curriculum developed under
  Subsection (a-1) must have the following components:
               (1)  a general core curriculum of at least 24 semester
  credit hours that includes:
                     (A)  six semester credit hours in:
                           (i)  American or Texas history; and
                           (ii)  government or political science; and
                     (B)  three semester credit hours in:
                           (i)  communications;
                           (ii)  language, philosophy, or culture;
                           (iii)  creative arts; and
                           (iv)  a component area provided by board
  rule; and
               (2)  for each meta major under Subsection (a-3), an
  academic discipline core curriculum of not more than 18 semester
  credit hours specific to that meta major and that includes:
                     (A)  six semester credit hours in life sciences or
  physical sciences; and
                     (B)  three semester credit hours in:
                           (i)  mathematics;
                           (ii)  behavioral science;
                           (iii)  communications; and
                           (iv)  a component area provided by board
  rule.
         (a-3)  The board shall develop a recommended academic
  discipline core curriculum under Subsection (a-2) for each of the
  following meta majors:
               (1)  arts, humanities, communications, and design;
               (2)  business;
               (3)  education;
               (4)  health sciences;
               (5)  industry, manufacturing, and construction;
               (6)  public safety;
               (7)  science, technology, engineering, and
  mathematics; and
               (8)  social and behavioral sciences and human services.
         (b)  Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core
  curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours, including
  specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core curriculum
  shall:
               (1)  include a general core curriculum and for each
  meta major, an academic discipline core curriculum as described by
  Subsection (a-2); and
               (2)  be consistent with the common course numbering
  system approved by the board and with the statement,
  recommendations, and rules issued by the board.
         (b-1)  An institution may have a core curriculum of other
  than 42 semester credit hours only if approved by the board.
         (c)  If a student successfully completes the 42-hour core
  curriculum or the general core curriculum or academic discipline
  core curriculum at an institution of higher education, that block
  of courses may be transferred to any other institution of higher
  education and must be substituted for the receiving institution's
  core curriculum, general core curriculum, or academic discipline
  core curriculum, as applicable. A student shall receive academic
  credit for each of the courses transferred and may not be required
  to take additional core curriculum, general core curriculum, or
  academic discipline core curriculum courses, as applicable, at the
  receiving institution unless the board has approved a larger core
  curriculum at the institution.
         (d)  A student who transfers from one institution of higher
  education to another without completing the core curriculum of the
  sending institution shall receive academic credit from the
  receiving institution toward that institution's general core
  curriculum or academic discipline core curriculum, as applicable,
  for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed
  in the core curriculum of the sending institution. Following
  receipt of credit for these courses, the student may be required to
  satisfy any remaining [further] course requirements in the core
  curriculum of the receiving institution.
         (f)  Each institution of higher education shall:
               (1)  identify in the institution's course catalog and
  on the institution's Internet website:
                     (A)  each course offered by the institution that
  fulfills a course requirement in the institution's general core
  curriculum or academic discipline core curriculum and the specific
  course requirement that the course fulfills; and
                     (B)  the meta major with which each degree or
  certificate program offered by the institution is associated;
               (2)  provide to the board in accordance with board rule
  the institution's general core curriculum and academic discipline
  core curriculum and the information described by Subdivision
  (1)(A); and
               (3)  advise each student enrolled at the institution
  regarding the importance of taking coherent sequences of courses in
  the core curriculum that are aligned with the student's academic
  and career goals.
         (g)  To assist in advising a student regarding the selection
  of coherent sequences of courses in the core curriculum that are
  aligned with the student's academic and career goals, the board
  shall make available to each institution of higher education and to
  school counselors and other postsecondary advisors employed by a
  school district or open-enrollment charter school information
  regarding:
               (1)  the general core curriculum and academic
  discipline core curriculum required under Subsection (b); and
               (2)  the transferability of course credit between
  institutions of higher education for courses in the core curriculum
  as provided by this section.
         SECTION 6.  Section 61.827, Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 61.827.  RULES. (a) The board is authorized to adopt
  rules implementing the provisions of this subchapter.
         (b)  In adopting rules regarding the recommended core
  curriculum developed under Section 61.822, the board shall use the
  negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government
  Code.
         SECTION 7.  Sections 130.0104(b) and (c), Education Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  A multidisciplinary studies associate degree program
  established at a junior college under this section must require a
  student to successfully complete:
               (1)  the junior college's core curriculum adopted under
  Section 61.822 [61.822(b)]; and
               (2)  after completion of the core curriculum under
  Subdivision (1), the courses selected by the student in the
  student's degree plan completed under Subsection (c).
         (c)  In complying with the requirements regarding the filing
  of a degree plan under [Notwithstanding] Section 51.9685, [before
  the beginning of the regular semester or term immediately following
  the semester or term in which] a student enrolled [successfully
  completes a cumulative total of 30 or more semester credit hours for
  coursework] in a multidisciplinary studies associate degree
  program established under this section [, the student] must meet
  with an academic advisor to complete a degree plan [, as defined by
  Section 51.9685(a)(1),] that:
               (1)  accounts for all remaining credit hours required
  for the completion of the degree program; and
               (2)  emphasizes:
                     (A)  the student's transition to a particular
  four-year college or university that the student chooses; and
                     (B)  preparations for the student's intended
  field of study or major at the four-year college or university.
         SECTION 8.  Section 51.9685(c-1), Education Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 9.  (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
  section, this Act applies beginning with the 2019-2020 academic
  year.
         (b)  Sections 51.96852, 51.96853, and 51.96854, Education
  Code, as added by this Act, and Section 61.822, Education Code, as
  amended by this Act, apply beginning with the 2021-2022 academic
  year.
         SECTION 10.  Not later than May 31, 2021, the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board shall develop a recommended core
  curriculum that conforms to the requirements of Section 61.822,
  Education Code, as amended by this Act.
         SECTION 11.  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, 2019.