By: West, et al. S.B. No. 25
 
 
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.  Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 51.400 and 51.4033 to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.400.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board.
               (2)  "General academic teaching institution" and
  "institution of higher education" have the meanings assigned by
  Section 61.003.
         Sec. 51.4033.  REPORT OF NONTRANSFERABLE CREDIT. (a)  Not
  later than September 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by
  the coordinating board, each general academic teaching institution
  shall provide to the coordinating board a report describing any
  courses in the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual or its
  successor adopted by the coordinating board for which a student who
  transfers to the institution from another institution of higher
  education is not granted academic credit at the receiving
  institution.
         (b)  A report required by this section must indicate:
               (1)  the course name and type;
               (2)  which institution of higher education provided
  academic credit for the course; and
               (3)  the reason why the receiving institution did not
  grant academic credit for the course.
         SECTION 2.  Section 51.762, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (j) to read as follows:
         (j)  In adopting a form under this section, the board shall
  ensure that an applicant may indicate on the form the applicant's
  consent to an institution of higher education to which the
  applicant submits an application for admission to a particular
  degree program using the form to, if the institution denies the
  applicant admission to that degree program, provide the applicant's
  application to other institutions of higher education that offer
  the degree program.
         SECTION 3.  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 4.  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 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 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,
  including rules to ensure compliance with this section.  In
  adopting those rules, the coordinating board shall use the
  negotiated rulemaking procedures under Chapter 2008, Government
  Code.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 51.96852 and 51.96853 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:
                     (A)  the course number or course equivalent under
  the common course numbering system approved by the coordinating
  board under Section 61.832; and
                     (B)  the course equivalent in the Lower-Division
  Academic Course Guide Manual or its successor adopted by the
  coordinating board;
               (3)  be designed to enable a full-time student to
  obtain a certificate or degree, as applicable, within:
                     (A)  for a 60-hour degree or certificate program,
  two years; or
                     (B)  for a 120-hour 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.
         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) on or after September 1, 2019, must, to the greatest extent
  practicable, 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.
         SECTION 6.  Section 51.9715, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as
  follows:
         (a-1)  An institution of higher education, or a school
  district that offers international baccalaureate courses, dual
  credit courses, or any other course for which an institution of
  higher education may award students enrolled at the district
  college course credit, including course credit awarded by
  examination, may release student information to an institution of
  higher education for purposes of transferring course credit to that
  institution or enabling the awarding of course credit by that
  institution, in accordance with federal law regarding the
  confidentiality of student information, including the Family
  Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section
  1232g), and any state law relating to the privacy of student
  information.
         (b)  An institution of higher education or school district
  may release student information in accordance with Subsection (a)
  or (a-1), as applicable, through:
               (1)  the National Student Clearinghouse; or
               (2)  a similar [national] electronic data sharing and
  exchange platform operated by an agent of the institution or
  district that meets nationally accepted standards, conventions,
  and practices.
         SECTION 7.  Section 61.059(p), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (p)  In its instruction and operations formula applicable to
  an institution of higher education, the board may not include any
  semester credit hours earned for dual course credit by a high school
  student for high school and college credit at the institution
  unless those credit hours are earned through any of the following:
               (1)  a course in the core curriculum of the institution
  providing course credit;
               (2)  a course offered by the institution providing
  course credit in:
                     (A)  a field of study curriculum developed by the
  board under Section 61.823; or
                     (B)  a program of study curriculum established by
  the board under Section 61.8235;
               (3)  a career and technical education course that
  applies to any certificate or associate's degree offered by the
  institution providing course credit; or
               (4) [(3)]  a foreign language course.
         SECTION 8.  Section 61.822, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (a-2), (a-3), (f), and (g) and amending
  Subsections (b), (c), and (d) to read as follows:
         (a-2)  The recommended core curriculum developed under
  Subsection (a-1) must have the following components:
               (1)  a general core curriculum of at least 30 semester
  credit hours that includes:
                     (A)  six semester credit hours in each of the
  following component areas:
                           (i)  American or Texas history, as provided
  by Section 51.302;
                           (ii)  government or political science, as
  provided by Section 51.301; and
                           (iii)  communication; and
                     (B)  three semester credit hours in each of the
  following component areas:
                           (i)  language, philosophy, or culture; and
                           (ii)  creative arts; and
               (2)  for each broad academic discipline, an academic
  discipline core curriculum of not more than 12 semester credit
  hours specific to that discipline and that includes relevant
  courses in mathematics and physical sciences.
         (a-3)  In developing an academic discipline core curriculum
  as described by Subsection (a-2), the board, in accordance with
  rules adopted by the board using the negotiated rulemaking
  procedures under Chapter 2008, Government Code, shall consult with
  relevant faculty at institutions of higher education.
         (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
  broad academic discipline offered by the institution, 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. [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 toward the applicable disciplinary course requirements for
  the student's degree program 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 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; 
               (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);
  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 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 9.  Section 61.823, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
         (f)  A public junior college or public technical institute
  shall adopt in whole or in part each field of study curriculum
  developed by the board under this section for an academic area in
  which the college or institute offers courses.
         SECTION 10.  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 11.  Section 130.0104(c), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (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 12.  Section 51.9685(c-1), Education Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 13.  Each public institution of higher education
  required to submit a report under Section 51.4033, Education Code,
  as added by this Act, shall submit the first report not later than
  September 1, 2021.
         SECTION 14.  Sections 51.762, 51.9715, and 61.822, Education
  Code, as amended by this Act, and Sections 51.96852 and 51.96853,
  Education Code, as added by this Act, apply beginning with the
  2021-2022 academic year.
         SECTION 15.  Not later than December 31, 2020, 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 16.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.