By: Rodriguez of Travis H.B. No. 3508
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a college readiness memorandum of understanding between
a school district and an institution of higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 28.014. COLLEGE PREPARATORY COURSES COLLEGE READINESS
PARTNERSHIP. (a) Each school district shall partner with at least
one institution of higher education to:
(1) provide for joint professional development
opportunities for school counselors and academic advisors to
promote collaboration and support the creation of common practices
and terminology relating to college readiness;
(2) identify a common method of determining college
readiness;
(3) identify the pathways between the endorsements under
Section 28.025(c-1) that are available to students in the school
district and degree programs and fields of study relating to those
endorsements that are available at the institution of higher
education;
(4) develop tools based on the pathways identified under
Subdivision (3) for school counselors and academic advisors to
assist students in selecting a suitable program of study; and
(5) identify opportunities to increase the cost efficiency
of related programs in areas that include the following:
(A) technology;
(B) facilities and equipment;
(C) dual credit course staffing and certification; and
(D) transportation.
(6) develop and provide courses in college preparatory
mathematics and English language arts. The courses must be
designed:
(A) for students at the 12th grade level whose
performance on:
(i) an end-of-course assessment instrument
required under Section 39.023(c) does not meet college readiness
standards; or
(ii) coursework, a college entrance examination,
or an assessment instrument designated under Section 51.3062(c)
indicates that the student is not ready to perform entry-level
college coursework; and
(B) to prepare students for success in entry-level
college courses.
(2) A course developed under this section must be provided:
(A) on the campus of the high school offering the
course; or
(B) through distance learning or as an online course
provided through an institution of higher education with which the
school district partners as provided by Subsection (a).
(3) Appropriate faculty of each high school offering
courses under this section and appropriate faculty of each
institution of higher education with which the school district
partners shall meet regularly as necessary to ensure that each
course is aligned with college readiness expectations. The
commissioner of education, in coordination with the commissioner of
higher education, may adopt rules to administer this subsection.
(4) Each school district shall provide a notice to each
district student to whom Subsection (a) applies and the student's
parent or guardian regarding the benefits of enrolling in a course
under this section.
(5) A student who successfully completes an English
language arts course developed under this section may use the
credit earned in the course toward satisfying the advanced English
language arts curriculum requirement for the foundation high school
program under Section 28.025(b-1)(1). A student who successfully
completes a mathematics course developed under this section may
use the credit earned in the course toward satisfying an advanced
mathematics curriculum requirement under Section 28.025 after
completion of the mathematics curriculum requirements for the
foundation high school program under Section 28.025(b-1)(2).
(6) A course provided under this section may be offered for
dual credit at the discretion of the institution of higher
education with which a school district partners under this section.
(7) Each school district, in consultation with each
institution of higher education with which the district partners,
shall develop or purchase instructional materials for a course
developed under this section consistent with Chapter 31. The
instructional materials must include technology resources that
enhance the effectiveness of the course and draw on established
best practices.
(8) To the extent applicable, a district shall draw from
curricula and instructional materials developed under Section
28.008 in developing a course and related instructional materials
under this section. A course developed under this section and the
related instructional materials shall be made available to students
not later than the 2014-2015 school year. This subsection expires
September 1, 2015.
(b) A school district and institution of higher education
shall annually review and update a partnership agreement under this
section
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016
school year.
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, 2015.