LEGISLATIVE SERVICES AGENCY
OFFICE OF FISCAL AND MANAGEMENT ANALYSIS
200 W. Washington St., Suite 301
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 233-0696
iga.in.gov
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
LS 6763 NOTE PREPARED: Feb 23, 2024
BILL NUMBER: SB 8 BILL AMENDED: Feb 22, 2024
SUBJECT: Higher Education Matters.
FIRST AUTHOR: Sen. Leising BILL STATUS: CR Adopted - 2
nd
House
FIRST SPONSOR: Rep. Snow
FUNDS AFFECTED:XGENERAL IMPACT: State & Local
DEDICATED
FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: (Amended) Reverse Transfer: This bill establishes the Reverse Transfer Program
for Community College Associate Degrees.
Bachelors’ Degrees in Three Years: The bill requires each institution that offers baccalaureate degrees to
establish a policy to review each of the institution's four year baccalaureate degree program offerings to
determine the feasibility of providing each in a specifically structured manner to allow a full-time student
to complete the baccalaureate degree within three years. It requires, not later than July 1, 2025, each state
educational institution (SEI) to offer at least one baccalaureate degree program specifically structured to
allow a full-time student to complete the baccalaureate degree within three years. The bill also requires an
SEI to provide an annual report to the Commission for Higher Education (CHE) regarding offering four year
baccalaureate degree programs completed in three years.
Associate Degrees Granted by Four-Year SEIs: The bill requires each SEI to prepare and submit a report
to CHE that includes information regarding a determination by the institution of the feasibility and
advisability of establishing and conferring associate degrees to certain students. It also establishes certain
requirements for CHE regarding the reports.
Indiana College Core: This bill changes the name of the Statewide Transfer General Education Core to the
Indiana College Core (College Core). It requires CHE, in coordination with SEIs and the Department of
Education (DOE), to maintain and post a list and syllabus of each eligible College Core course. It requires,
by July 1, 2025, DOE to partner with one or more institutions to provide online access to all College Core
courses through the Course Access Program. It requires, by July 1, 2027, DOE to make all College Core
courses available online to all eligible students through the Course Access Program.
SB 8 1 This bill requires, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, each high school to offer College Core or
submit a College Core Feasibility Report to CHE. It provides that: (1) a student who successfully completes
an eligible course under the college core is entitled to secondary credit toward graduation requirements; and
(2) the student's transcripts must reflect the secondary credit.
Secondary Credits: The bill expands the schools to which requirements regarding secondary credit apply.
Foreign Gifts and Contracts: The bill requires an institution to disclose certain foreign gifts and contracts
received or entered into after December 31, 2013. It also requires the CHE to establish and maintain a
website for accessing information about disclosed gifts and contracts. It authorizes the CHe to provide for
an audit of a institution's use of a disclosed gift, or the proceeds of a disclosed contract, received or entered
into after June 30, 2019, and before July 1, 2024.
Credit Equivalency Updates: The bill provides that credit equivalencies, including the College Core, for all
Cambridge International Advanced A and AS Level examinations must be updated annually and sent by each
SEI to CHE by June 1 each year. It provides that each SEI shall post these annually updated credit
equivalencies on the SEI's website by July 1 each year. It also provides that CHE shall post the annually
updated credit equivalencies on CHE's student transfer of credit portal by July 1 each year.
Dual Credit Reporting: The bill requires CHE to: (1) review each course, including the syllabus for each
course, that is provided by a postsecondary educational institution to a high school student and for which the
student receives high school credit; and (2) not later than November 1, 2025, and not later than November
1 each year thereafter, prepare and submit a report that summarizes the information reviewed by CHE.
Effective Date: July 1, 2024.
Explanation of State Expenditures: Academic Performance Grant: The FY 2024-FY 2025 state tuition
support funding formula includes the Academic Performance Grant. The grant is distributed to public schools
based on past academic performance on various measures, including associate degree, Indiana College Core
30, and dual credit attainment. Each of these measures could be impacted by the bill’s requirement that all
public high schools offer or have a plan to offer the Indiana College Core 30 by the 2025-2026 school year.
Current state tuition support distributions would not be impacted since the distributions are based on past
academic performance. However, future iterations of the funding formula may be impacted. Any future
impact depends upon future funding formulas.
(Revised) CHE: This bill requires CHE to set reporting requirements for SEIs regarding three year
baccalaureate programs, the Reverse Transfer Associate Degree Program, and the establishment of associate
degree programs at “four year” universities. This bill requires CHE to produce reports for the Governor and
Legislative Council and for publication on its website. It also requires CHE to coordinate with DOE and SEIs
to maintain a list of eligible College Core courses and to review implementation plans of public high schools
that do not yet offer College Core curriculum. CHE will work with SEIs to identify and notify students
eligible for the Reverse Transfer Associate Degree Program on a semiannual basis beginning in 2025. These
requirements constitute a workload increase for CHE, but it is expected to be met within existing resources.
The bill requires CHE to review all dual-credit courses and prepare an annual report summarizing the status
of dual-credit courses to the Legislative Council, the Governor, and the Secretary of Education. It requires
CHE to post updated course equivalencies on its transfer of credit portal (commonly known at the Core
Transfer Library or CTL) and maintain and post a list of, and syllabus for, all eligible College Core courses.
SB 8 2 These requirements constitute a workload increase for CHE. Existing staffing and resource levels, if currently
being used to capacity, may be insufficient for full implementation. Ultimately, the source of funds and
resources required to satisfy the requirements of this bill will depend on legislative and administrative
actions.
(Revised) SEIs: This bill requires SEIs that grant bachelor’s degrees to analyze what baccalaureate programs
can be structured to facilitate completion in three years, to implement at least one three year bachelor’s
degree program, and to make annual reports regarding the feasibility of implementing three year program
designs more broadly. SEIs are also required to submit a report to CHE on the feasibility of establishing
associate’s degree programs. SEIs will be required to provide information to CHE regarding students and
former students who are eligible for the Reverse Transfer Associate Degree Program. SEIs are also required
to coordinate with CHE to maintain a list of eligible College Core courses and to annually submit to CHE
updated credit equivalencies for Cambridge International Advanced A and AS Level examinations. These
requirements constitute an increase in workload for SEIs, but each SEI should be able to meet them within
existing resources.
Ivy Tech and Vincennes University will experience a workload increase associated with granting degrees
under the Reverse Transfer Associate Degree Program. These schools are also likely to experience short-term
workload increases associated with the requirement that public high schools offer the Indiana College Core
Curriculum. Of the 209 public schools that offer College Core, 155 are partnered with Ivy Tech to offer dual-
credit courses and 16 are partnered with Vincennes. It is likely that the trend will continue as 241 additional
schools strive to meet the College Core standard. Ivy Tech estimates as many as five full-time equivalent
employees will be required to fully implement the expanded Reverse Transfer Program. Under the existing
memorandum of understanding, approximately 40% of evaluated transcripts result in the award of a degree.
Associate degrees awarded under the Reverse Transfer Program can be incorporated into CHE’s outcomes-
based formula for operating funding, which is likely to result in increased distributions to SEIs in future
biennia. [SEIs receive general fund appropriations.]
(Revised) DOE: The bill requires that DOE review the feasibility reports submitted by public high schools
that do not offer College Core as of September 1, 2025, and each year thereafter until the school implements
College Core. DOE is also required to coordinate with CHE to maintain a list of eligible College Core
courses. Both of these requirements are to be completed in cooperation with CHE and should be met within
existing resources.
(Revised) College Core Course Access Program: This bill requires DOE to coordinate with one or more SEIs
to make all College Core courses accessible online through the Course Access Program (iCAP) by July 1,
2025 and to make those courses available to all eligible students by July 1, 2027. Entering into the agreement
is within the routine administrative functions of DOE and SEIs, but providing access through iCAP may
require significant expenditures on the part of DOE, partnered SEIs, or both. Ivy Tech is the only SEI that
currently provides courses through iCAP.
(Revised) Foreign Gifts and Contracts: The bill requires SEIs to disclose gifts received from and contracts
entered into with certain foreign entities. It requires CHE to establish and maintain a website for accessing
information about disclosed gifts and contracts. These requirements will increase the workload of SEIs and
CHE but should be met within existing resources.
The bill also authorizes CHE to audit certain foreign gifts and contracts. The costs of such an audit would
SB 8 3 depend on a number of factors, including whether the audit is conducted by CHE or by an outside contractor,
the source and nature of the gift or contract in question, and the complexity of the circumstances surrounding
the gift or contract. Costs associated with this provision will depend on administrative decisions made by
CHE.
Explanation of State Revenues:
Explanation of Local Expenditures: Public Schools: Public high schools will be required to offer an
Indiana College Core curriculum by academic year 2025-2026 or else submit a plan for implementing
College Core to CHE each year until it is complete. Currently, 209 of 450 Indiana public high schools offer
a College Core curriculum. This requirement constitutes an additional workload on public high schools that
do not offer College Core, as well as some potential expenses in credentialing teachers to teach dual-credit
courses. [A substantial portion of these costs can be covered by grants from Teach Dual Credit Indiana and
STEM Teach Indiana, which provide funding for tuition, textbooks and materials to help teachers meet
credentialing requirements.] Any additional funds and resources required could be supplied through existing
staff and resources currently being used in another program or with new appropriations. Ultimately, the
source of funds and resources required to satisfy the requirements of this bill will depend on legislative and
administrative actions.
Charter schools will have to meet the same requirements to annotate secondary credits on student transcripts
as school corporations currently do. This constitutes a workload increase on charter schools, but this
requirement can be met within existing resources.
Explanation of Local Revenues: Academic Performance Grants: Public schools that currently do not offer
the Indiana College Core curriculum that would offer it under the bill may experience a revenue increase in
the future from Academic Performance Grants. Any revenue increase is dependent upon future state tuition
support funding formulas. [See Explanation of State Expenditures for further details].
State Agencies Affected: Commission for Higher Education, state educational institutions, Department of
Education.
Local Agencies Affected: Public schools.
Information Sources: Greg Harrell, Director of Legislation and Program Implementation, CHE;
https://mycollegecore.org/; https://www.in.gov/doe/educators/indiana-course-access-network/;
https://transferin.net/; https://www.in.gov/doe/files/iCAP-Provider-Overview-.pdf;
https://media.doe.in.gov/icap/ivytech.pdf; https://transferin.net/earned-credits/core-transfer-library/;
Mary Jane Michalak, Ivy Tech Community College.
Fiscal Analyst: Alexander Raggio, 317-234-9485.
SB 8 4