88R23126 KJE-D
 
  By: Paul, Tepper H.B. No. 2920
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2920:
 
  By:  Kuempel C.S.H.B. No. 2920
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the distribution or posting of, and the development by
  the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board of electronic tools
  or platforms to provide, information regarding postsecondary
  education and career opportunities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 7.040(a), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The agency shall prepare information comparing
  institutions of higher education in this state and post the
  information on the agency's Internet website. Information prepared
  under this section shall be given to any [a] public or private
  school student who requests the information. The information
  shall:
               (1)  identify postsecondary education and career
  opportunities, including information that states the benefits of
  four-year and two-year higher education programs, postsecondary
  technical education, skilled workforce careers, and career
  education programs;
               (2)  assist prospective postsecondary students in
  assessing the value of a certificate program, associate or
  baccalaureate degree program, or other credential program offered
  by an institution of higher education by comparing [compare] each
  institution [of higher education] with other institutions using
  information included in the electronic tools or platforms developed
  by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section
  61.09022(a) [regarding:
                     [(A)  the relative cost of tuition;
                     [(B)  the retention rate of students;
                     [(C)  the graduation rate of students;
                     [(D)  the average student debt;
                     [(E)  the loan repayment rate of students; and
                     [(F)  the employment rate of students];
               (3)  identify the state's future workforce needs, as
  projected by the Texas Workforce Commission; and
               (4)  include annual wage information for the top 10
  highest demand jobs in this state, as identified by the Texas
  Workforce Commission.
         SECTION 2.  Section 51.762(b-1), Education Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b-1)  An electronic common admission application form
  adopted under this section must include a prominent link to the
  electronic tools or platforms developed by the board under Section
  61.09022 [comparative gainful employment data regarding
  institutions of higher education, including information described
  by Section 7.040, on a website maintained by the board using data
  compiled by the board in coordination with the Texas Workforce
  Commission].
         SECTION 3.  Section 51.763(b), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  The form must:
               (1)  allow each applicant to:
                     (A)  apply electronically to one or more of the
  general academic teaching institutions within the university
  system; and
                     (B)  indicate preferences for admission between
  those institutions; and
               (2)  include a prominent link to the electronic tools
  or platforms developed by the board under Section 61.09022
  [comparative gainful employment data regarding institutions of
  higher education, including information described by Section
  7.040, on a website maintained by the board using data compiled by
  the board in coordination with the Texas Workforce Commission].
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 61.09022 to read as follows:
         Sec. 61.09022.  INFORMATION TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN ASSESSING
  VALUE OF POSTSECONDARY CREDENTIALS. (a) From money appropriated or
  otherwise available for the purpose, the board shall develop one or
  more electronic tools or platforms to provide information to assist
  prospective postsecondary students in assessing the value of a
  certificate program, associate or baccalaureate degree program, or
  other credential program offered by an institution of higher
  education or private or independent institution of higher education
  by comparing each institution with other institutions regarding:
               (1)  the relative cost of obtaining the certificate,
  degree, or other credential, based on the most recent data released
  through the United States Department of Education's College
  Scorecard online tool or a successor tool, including:
                     (A)  the total cost of attendance, including:
                           (i)  the total cost of tuition and fees; and
                           (ii)  the median cost of room and board; and
                     (B)  the estimated net cost remaining after
  subtracting from the amount described by Paragraph (A) the average
  amount of student financial aid granted to the typical student for
  the program;
               (2)  the value of the certificate, degree, or other
  credential as measured by comparing:
                     (A)  the median wage earned by students who
  graduated with the certificate, degree, or other credential from
  the institution; and
                     (B)  the median student debt of students who
  graduated with the certificate, degree, or other credential from
  the institution as compared to the median student debt of all
  students who graduated with the certificate, degree, or other
  credential, based on the most recent data released through the
  United States Department of Education's College Scorecard online
  tool or a successor tool;
               (3)  the average student debt-to-income ratio of
  students who graduated with the certificate, degree, or other
  credential from the institution and have student debt, including
  the estimated monthly student loan payment, computed using the
  standard 10-year repayment plan;
               (4)  the percentage of students who fully repay student
  debt within the standard 10-year repayment period or, if this
  information is not available for the program, the percentage of
  students in all certificate programs, degree programs, or other
  credential programs who fully repay student debt within the
  standard 10-year repayment period; and
               (5)  educational outcomes for students seeking the
  certificate, degree, or other credential, including:
                     (A)  for a program designed to be completed in
  more than one year, the percentage of students who continue in the
  program after the first year of study;
                     (B)  the graduation rate;
                     (C)  the percentage of students who withdraw or
  transfer from the institution and subsequently graduate with the
  certificate, degree, or other credential from another institution
  of higher education or private or independent institution of higher
  education;
                     (D)  the percentage of students who withdraw from
  the institution and do not enroll in the program at another
  institution of higher education or private or independent
  institution of higher education within three years of the
  withdrawal; and
                     (E)  the percentage of graduates employed in a
  field related to the certificate program, degree program, or other
  credential program within one year of graduation.
         (c)  The board may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and
  donations from any public or private source to implement this
  section.
         (d)  The board shall adopt rules as necessary to implement
  this section, including rules to ensure compliance with federal and
  state law regarding the confidentiality of student information.
         SECTION 5.  Section 7.040(c), Education Code, is transferred
  to Section 61.09022, Education Code, as added by this Act,
  redesignated as Section 61.09022(b), Education Code, and amended to
  read as follows:
         (b) [(c)]  Each institution of higher education shall
  include on its Internet website, in a prominent location that is not
  more than three hyperlinks from the website's home page, a link to
  the electronic tools or platforms developed by the board
  [information posted on the agency's Internet website] under
  Subsection (a).
         SECTION 6.  Section 2308A.007, Government Code, is amended
  by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  A credential library established under this section
  must include the information included in the electronic tools or
  platforms developed by the coordinating board under Section
  61.09022(a), Education Code.
         SECTION 7.  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, 2023.