Bill Text: TX SB2086 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Engrossed
Bill Title: Relating to measures to facilitate the transfer of students and course credit within the public higher education system.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-12 - Referred to Higher Education [SB2086 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB2086-Engrossed.html
By: West | S.B. No. 2086 |
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relating to measures to facilitate the transfer of students and | ||
course credit within the public higher education system. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 61.834 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.834. REGIONAL CONSORTIUM FOR TRANSFER COMPACTS. | ||
(a) The board shall divide the state into regions for the purpose | ||
of establishing a regional consortium among the institutions of | ||
higher education located within each region to facilitate the | ||
transfer of students and the transfer of course credit between | ||
institutions within the region. In developing the regions, the | ||
board shall give consideration to existing consortiums. | ||
(b) The board shall designate a general academic teaching | ||
institution within each region as the lead institution. Each | ||
public junior college, public state college, public technical | ||
institute, and general academic teaching institution shall | ||
participate in its assigned regional consortium. | ||
(c) For the purposes of this section, each general academic | ||
teaching institution shall annually identify and report to the | ||
board the 25 degree programs with the greatest student enrollment | ||
at the institution or the degree programs in which a major has been | ||
declared that constitute at least 70 percent of the student | ||
enrollment at the institution. The board shall compile the | ||
information the board receives from the general academic teaching | ||
institutions in each regional consortium and report to each | ||
consortium the 25 degree programs at general academic teaching | ||
institutions in that consortium with the greatest student | ||
enrollment overall. | ||
(d) Each regional consortium shall develop transfer | ||
compacts that identify specific courses included in the common | ||
course numbering system acceptable as credit toward the identified | ||
degree programs under Subsection (c) in each region. The transfer | ||
compacts must include agreements on the transfer of course credit | ||
for those degree programs and related student advising, career | ||
planning, and student support services at each institution in the | ||
regional consortium. | ||
(e) The board shall adopt rules for the operation of a | ||
regional consortium established under this section. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 61.830, Education Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 61.830. PUBLICATION OF GUIDELINES ADDRESSING TRANSFER | ||
PRACTICES. (a) In its course catalogs and on its website, each | ||
institution of higher education shall publish guidelines | ||
addressing the practices of the institution regarding the transfer | ||
of course credit. | ||
(b) In the guidelines, each [ |
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education must identify a course by using the common course | ||
numbering system approved by the board. | ||
(c) Each general academic teaching institution must include | ||
the following in its guidelines: | ||
(1) the identified degree programs under Section | ||
61.834(c) in the regional consortium in which the institution | ||
participates under Section 61.834 and the core curriculum and any | ||
additional lower-division requirements for each of those degree | ||
programs; | ||
(2) a list of the courses offered by institutions of | ||
higher education participating in the institution's regional | ||
consortium that are considered by the board to be general academic | ||
transfer courses that may be offered for state funding by public | ||
junior colleges, public state colleges, and public technical | ||
institutes; and | ||
(3) the field of study curriculum for each degree | ||
offered by the institution. | ||
(d) Each public junior college, public state college, and | ||
public technical institute must prominently indicate in its | ||
guidelines any general academic teaching institution with which it | ||
has entered into an agreement concerning the transfer of course | ||
credit. | ||
SECTION 3. (a) Not later than January 1, 2018, the Texas | ||
Higher Education Coordinating Board shall establish the regional | ||
consortiums required by Section 61.834, Education Code, as added by | ||
this Act. | ||
(b) Each regional consortium must develop the transfer | ||
compacts required under Section 61.834, Education Code, as added by | ||
this Act, to apply beginning with enrollment for the 2019 fall | ||
semester. | ||
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act to Section | ||
61.830, Education Code, apply beginning with the 2019-2020 academic | ||
year. | ||
SECTION 5. 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, 2017. |