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.