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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to innovations in core curriculum to accelerate the award |
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of bachelor's degrees, including the establishment of the general |
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education curriculum advisory committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.0522 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.0522. GENERAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM ADVISORY |
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COMMITTEE. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Advisory committee" means the general education |
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curriculum advisory committee established under this section. |
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(2) "General education curriculum" means a core |
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curriculum, as that term is defined by Section 61.821, and any other |
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curriculum or competency all undergraduate students of an |
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institution of higher education are required to complete before |
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receiving an undergraduate degree. |
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(b) The board shall establish an advisory committee to |
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review the general education curriculum requirements of |
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institutions of higher education. |
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(c) The board shall call for nominations from presidents or |
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chief executive officers, chancellors, and chief academic officers |
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at all institutions of higher education for representatives to |
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serve on the advisory committee. The board shall select a number of |
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representatives determined by the board from those nominated with |
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nominees drawn equally from two-year and four-year institutions. |
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(d) The advisory committee shall consider methods for |
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determining general education curriculum component courses and for |
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condensing the number of general education curriculum courses |
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required at institutions of higher education. |
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(e) Not later than November 1, 2026, the advisory committee |
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shall produce a report regarding the advisory committee's findings |
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and recommendations under this section and provide the report to |
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the board. |
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(f) Not later than December 31, 2026, the board shall review |
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the advisory committee's report and submit to the legislature the |
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board's recommendations for legislative or other action necessary |
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to implement the findings of the report. |
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(g) The advisory committee is abolished and this section |
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expires September 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.822, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(b-1) The board by rule may approve a core curriculum of |
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fewer than 42 semester credit hours for a bachelor's degree program |
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at an institution of higher education if the board determines that |
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the approval would accelerate student completion of |
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workforce-aligned credentials, as defined by board rule. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |