By: Johnson of Harris H.B. No. 1179
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a requirement that a student's postsecondary transcript
include the average or median grade awarded in each class.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 51.979 to read as follows:
Sec. 51.979. TRANSPARENCY IN STUDENT TRANSCRIPTS. (a) In
this section, "general academic teaching institution" has the
meaning assigned by Section 61.003.
(b) Each general academic teaching institution shall
include on a student's transcript, for each class attempted by the
student, the average grade that was awarded to all students in the
class. For a class for which letter grades are awarded, the
institution shall include on the transcript the median grade that
was awarded to all students in the class.
The institution shall
place the average or median grade, as applicable, immediately to
the right of the student's individual grade.
(c) Subsection (b) does not apply to a class:
(1) offered to students solely on a pass-fail basis or
for independent study credit; or
(2) in which grades are reported for 10 students or
fewer.
(d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
adopt rules to administer this section.
SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall adopt the rules required by Section 51.979, Education Code,
as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after this Act takes
effect. For that purpose, the coordinating board may adopt the
initial rules in the manner provided by law for emergency rules.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies
beginning with the 2017 fall semester.
SECTION 4. 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, 2017.