H.B. No. 3468
AN ACT
relating to the assessment of public school students for college
readiness and developmental education courses to prepare students
for college-level coursework.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.0141 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.0141. STUDY AND REPORT ON EARLY COLLEGE READINESS
ASSESSMENTS. (a) The agency, in consultation with the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board, shall conduct a study of best
practices for and existing programs offering early assessments of
high school students in order to determine college readiness,
identify any deficiencies in college readiness, and provide
intervention to address any deficiencies before high school
graduation. In conducting the study, the agency, in consultation
with the coordinating board, shall review:
(1) various assessments, including end-of-course
assessment instruments under Section 39.023(c), each assessment
currently used under Section 51.3062, and any assessment being
proposed as a statewide model by the coordinating board under
Section 51.3062(v), for identifying students who need additional
assistance in preparing for college;
(2) various early intervention models, including:
(A) summer bridge programs;
(B) college preparatory courses for credit
toward high school graduation;
(C) developmental education programs, including
college readiness programs under Section 39.234, and college study
skills courses; and
(D) dual credit courses;
(3) the costs associated with different assessments
and early intervention models; and
(4) the effectiveness of different assessments and
early intervention models in preparing students for college
coursework for which course credit may be earned.
(b) Not later than December 1, 2012, the agency, in
consultation with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,
public institutions of higher education, and school districts,
shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker
of the house of representatives, and the presiding officer of each
legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction over
primary and secondary education, higher education, or state
appropriations a written report that contains recommendations for
promoting and implementing early assessments of college readiness
that are of a diagnostic nature and early intervention models for
preparing high school students for college coursework for which
course credit may be earned.
(c) This section expires January 1, 2013.
SECTION 2. Subchapter H, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 29.2531 to read as follows:
Sec. 29.2531. ADULT EDUCATION ASSESSMENT. The Texas
Education Agency shall, in consultation with the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board, review the standardized assessment
mechanism required under Section 29.252(a)(8) and recommend any
changes necessary to align the assessment with the assessments
designated under Section 51.3062 to allow for the proper placement
of a student in an adult basic education course or to provide the
student with the proper developmental or English as a second
language coursework, as appropriate.
SECTION 3. Section 51.3062, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (t), (t-1), (u), (v), and (w) to read as follows:
(t) To allow a student to complete any necessary
developmental coursework in the most efficient and cost-effective
manner, the board shall encourage institutions of higher education
to offer various types of developmental coursework that address
various levels of deficiency in readiness to perform college
coursework for which course credit may be earned, as determined on
the basis of assessments as described by Subsection (f). The types
of developmental coursework may include:
(1) course-based programs;
(2) non-course-based programs, such as advising
programs;
(3) module format programs;
(4) competency-based education programs; and
(5) programs under which the student is pairing or
taking concurrently a developmental education course and another
course in the same subject area for which course credit may be
earned.
(t-1) The board may adopt rules as necessary to implement
Subsection (t).
(u) The board, in consultation with institutions of higher
education, shall use evidence-based studies and existing data to
study and analyze:
(1) assessment instruments that are currently used or
could be used by institutions to comply with this section,
including the diagnostic reliability and cost-effectiveness of
those assessment instruments;
(2) differentiated placements for developmental
coursework based on a student's demonstrated proficiencies or
deficiencies in readiness to perform college coursework for which
course credit may be earned, as determined on the basis of
assessments as described by Subsection (f), including the extent to
which various types of placements result in or serve efficient,
cost-effective, and successful developmental education;
(3) whether the funding formulas under Subsection (m)
and under Section 61.059, as applied to developmental coursework,
result in or serve efficient and cost-effective implementation of
successful developmental education; and
(4) whether any of the nonapplicability categories
under Subsection (r) should be retained.
(v) Not later than December 1, 2012, the board shall submit
a written report based on the study under Subsection (u) to the
governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
representatives, and presiding officer of each legislative
standing committee with primary jurisdiction over higher education
or state appropriations recommending, to the extent practicable, a
statewide diagnostic standard assessment instrument for purposes
of this section that allows for:
(1) accurate diagnosis and targeted intervention for
students who are identified as requiring developmental coursework;
(2) appropriate placement to provide the type and
level of developmental coursework that allows a student to receive
developmental education in the most efficient, cost-effective, and
successful manner; and
(3) the most effective use of formula funding with
regard to developmental coursework targeted to students' needs.
(w) Subsections (u) and (v) and this subsection expire
January 1, 2013.
SECTION 4. Section 61.059, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
(b-1) The board shall include in its periodic review of
formulas under Subsection (b) recommendations for changes in
funding formulas for developmental education programs based on the
results of the study conducted under Section 51.3062(u) and the
report submitted under Section 51.3062(v). This subsection expires
January 1, 2015.
SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act to Section
61.059, Education Code, applies beginning with periodic reviews
submitted on or after December 1, 2012.
SECTION 6. 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, 2011.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3468 was passed by the House on May 4,
2011, by the following vote: Yeas 135, Nays 3, 2 present, not
voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to
H.B. No. 3468 on May 27, 2011, and requested the appointment of a
conference committee to consider the differences between the two
houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report
on H.B. No. 3468 on May 29, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 141,
Nays 1, 2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3468 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 25, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
3468 on May 29, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0
.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor