Texas House Bill HB1196

Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Caption

Relating to a requirement that a student's postsecondary transcript include the average or median grade awarded in each class.

Impact

The implementation of HB1196 is expected to significantly impact the transparency of academic performance assessments at the institutional level. By requiring the inclusion of average and median grades, it provides a metric that can facilitate more informed decisions during hiring processes or further education applications. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is responsible for adopting the necessary rules to ensure compliance with this new requirement.

Summary

Overall, HB1196 endeavors to enhance accountability and clarity within Texas's education system by compelling public universities to adopt a more standardized approach to grading disclosures. This legislative move is poised to foster an environment of openness, but it will require careful consideration regarding its execution to mitigate any unintended consequences for students and educational institutions.

Contention

Notably, there could be concerns regarding the implications of disclosing grade distributions. Opponents may argue that this could lead to potential stigmatization of students from classes with lower average grades or discourage students from enrolling in challenging courses where their individual performance might not reflect the overall grading trend. Moreover, institutions may need to reconsider how they present grades to address potential misunderstanding or misinterpretation by the public.