81R2854 JRJ-D
By: Rose H.B. No. 708
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to coordination of postsecondary curricula and to an
academic planning Internet website to support academic progress by
students enrolled at public institutions of higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Sections 61.0764 and 61.0765 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.0764. COORDINATION OF CURRICULA AT TWO-YEAR
INSTITUTIONS AND GENERAL ACADEMIC TEACHING INSTITUTIONS. (a) In
this section, "two-year institution of higher education" means a
public junior college, public state college, or public technical
institute.
(b) The board shall collaborate with general academic
teaching institutions and two-year institutions of higher
education to:
(1) compare the curricula of the general academic
teaching institutions with the curricula of the two-year
institutions of higher education to determine if the curricula of
the two-year institutions of higher education satisfy the goals of:
(A) providing the prerequisite courses needed
for students to enroll in courses at general academic teaching
institutions;
(B) providing courses that will be generally
accepted for course credit by general academic teaching
institutions; and
(C) preparing students for academic success at
general academic teaching institutions; and
(2) ensure that the curricula of two-year institutions
of higher education satisfy the goals described by Subdivision (1),
and adopt any standards necessary for curricula and instruction at
two-year institutions of higher education and any plans necessary
to implement the standards.
(c) Each two-year institution of higher education shall
designate in the institution's student course catalog each course
that is not generally accepted for course credit by general
academic teaching institutions.
Sec. 61.0765. ACADEMIC PLANNING WEBSITE. (a) In this
section, "two-year institution of higher education" has the meaning
assigned by Section 61.0764.
(b) The board shall maintain an Internet website that
includes:
(1) an enrollment guide for use by a student enrolled
in a two-year institution of higher education or general academic
teaching institution for planning and tracking the student's
progress toward completion of the student's degree or certificate
program;
(2) information concerning the recommended core
curriculum developed under Section 61.822, including information
describing courses included in the recommended core curriculum and
describing the core curriculum transfer provisions provided by that
section;
(3) information concerning major and minor areas of
study available at institutions of higher education; and
(4) any other information the board determines would
serve students enrolled at institutions of higher education in
developing and implementing academic plans and making academic
progress.
(c) Each institution of higher education shall, on the
primary admissions information page on the institution's Internet
website, provide a link to the board's Internet website maintained
under Subsection (b).
SECTION 2. The student course catalog of each two-year
institution of higher education must satisfy the requirements of
Section 61.0764(c), Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning
with the 2011 fall semester.
SECTION 3. 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, 2009.