| 5 | 3 | | |
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| 6 | 4 | | |
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| 7 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 7 | | relating to a postsecondary distance learning feasibility study |
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| 10 | 8 | | conducted by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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| 11 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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| 13 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 51.981 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 12 | | Sec. 51.981. POSTSECONDARY DISTANCE LEARNING FEASIBILITY |
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| 15 | 13 | | STUDY. (a) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall |
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| 16 | 14 | | conduct a feasibility study that explores postsecondary distance |
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| 17 | 15 | | learning opportunities through an interactive video classroom in |
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| 18 | 16 | | accordance with this section. |
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| 19 | 17 | | (b) The coordinating board must conduct the feasibility |
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| 20 | 18 | | study with respect to at least the Rio Grande Valley region of this |
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| 21 | 19 | | state. The study must: |
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| 22 | 20 | | (1) explore the possibility of using an interactive |
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| 23 | 21 | | video classroom to: |
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| 24 | 22 | | (A) expand medical education opportunities; and |
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| 25 | 23 | | (B) increase access to undergraduate and |
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| 26 | 24 | | graduate courses of all types; and |
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| 27 | 25 | | (2) identify possible impediments to postsecondary |
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| 28 | 26 | | distance learning opportunities, including program accreditation |
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| 29 | 27 | | requirements and the availability of funds for that purpose. |
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| 30 | 28 | | (c) Not later than November 1, 2016, the coordinating board |
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| 31 | 29 | | shall complete the feasibility study and post the results of the |
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| 32 | 30 | | feasibility study on its website. |
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| 33 | 31 | | (d) This section expires September 1, 2017. |
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| 34 | 32 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 35 | 33 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 36 | 34 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 37 | 35 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 38 | 36 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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