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: Mar 8, 2024
BILL NUMBER: SB 8 BILL AMENDED: Mar 7, 2024
SUBJECT: Higher Education Matters.
FIRST AUTHOR: Sen. Leising BILL STATUS: Enrolled
FIRST SPONSOR: Rep. Snow
FUNDS AFFECTED:XGENERAL IMPACT: State & Local
DEDICATED
FEDERAL
Summary of Legislation: Reverse Transfer: This bill establishes the Reverse Transfer Program for
Community College Associate Degrees.
Bachelor’s 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 the Department of Education
(DOE) and SEIs, to maintain and post a list and syllabus or course outline record of each eligible College
Core course. It requires, by July 1, 2025, DOE to partner with one or more institutions or approved
postsecondary educational institutions to provide online access to the College Core through the Course
Access Program.
SB 8 1 This bill requires each high school to:
(1) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, offer College Core; or
(2) Not later than October 1, 2024, submit a plan or report that meets certain requirements to the
CHE.
It also 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.
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.
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 and Indiana College
Core 30 (College Core), and dual credit attainment. Each of these measures could be impacted if additional
public schools offer the Indiana College Core due to the bill's provisions. 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.
CHE: The bill requires CHE to establish reporting requirements for new reports, data, and information
collected by the agency from public high schools and SEIs. CHE is also required to publish certain
information and to produce reports for the Governor and Legislative Council. Other provisions in the bill
require CHE to collaborate with DOE and/or SEIs regarding certain matters including a requirement to:
1) Maintain a list, including the syllabus or course outline, of all eligible College Core courses;
2) Review College Core feasability reports received by public high schools who do not plan on
offering the College Core curriculum by the 2026-2027 school year, and to provide these high
schools with further guidance;
3) Identify and notify students eligible for the Reverse Transfer Associate Degree Program on a
semiannual basis beginning in FY 2025; and
4) Annually update the agency’s transfer of credit portal (commonly known as the Core Transfer
Library, or CTL) with updated course equivalencies.
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.
SEIs: This bill requires SEIs that grant bachelor’s degrees to analyze what baccalaureate programs can be
SB 8 2 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
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 and expenditure 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.
Under the bill, associate degrees awarded under the Reverse Transfer Program and bachelor's degrees
completed in three years 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.]
DOE: The bill requires that DOE review the feasibility reports submitted by public high schools who cannot
offer College Core by the 2026-2027 school year. 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.
College Core Course Access Program: This bill requires DOE to partner with one or more SEIs or approved
post-secondary educational institutions before FY 2026. The partnership will make all College Core courses
available through the Course Access Program (iCAP) to all eligible students. 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.
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 2026-2027 or submit an Indiana College Core Feasibility
Report to CHE. 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
SB 8 3 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 for 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; Kelan Fong, 317-232-9592
SB 8 4