Amend SB 530 (house committee report) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____.  Section 61.051(a), Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a)  The board represents the highest authority in the state in matters of public higher education and is charged with the duty to take an active part in promoting quality education throughout the state by:

(1)  providing a statewide perspective to ensure the efficient and effective use of higher education resources and to eliminate unnecessary duplication;

(2)  developing and evaluating progress toward a long-range master plan for higher education and providing analysis and recommendations to link state spending for higher education with the goals of the long-range master plan;

(3)  collecting and making accessible data on higher education in the state and aggregating and analyzing that data to support policy recommendations;

(4)  making recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of transitions, including between high school and postsecondary education, between institutions of higher education for transfer purposes, and between postsecondary education and the workforce; [and]

(5)  administering programs and trusteed funds for financial aid and other grants as necessary to achieve the state's long-range goals and as directed by the legislature; and

(6)  adopting rules or taking other action necessary to ensure that each institution of higher education is properly accredited as required to participate in the federal financial aid program under 20 U.S.C. Section 1070a and other federal student financial assistance programs.