Texas Senate Bill SB1527

Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Caption

Relating to authorization by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for certain public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs.

Impact

The enactment of SB1527 would have implications on state laws regarding the educational systems and funding for public junior colleges. By allowing junior colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees, the bill aims to address the workforce shortage in fields like nursing, potentially resulting in higher employment rates for graduates in critical areas of need. The bill also establishes guidelines for how state funding should be allocated to support these new programs, ensuring that public junior colleges receive comparable financial support for junior-level and senior-level courses as general academic teaching institutions. Moreover, it limits funding sources for programs created under the new provisions to the junior college's share of state appropriations, local funds, and private contributions.

Summary

Senate Bill 1527 seeks to amend the Texas Education Code to grant the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board the authority to permit certain public junior colleges to offer baccalaureate degree programs, specifically in the fields of applied science, applied technology, and nursing. This proposal comes as part of an effort to enhance educational offerings in junior colleges, thereby increasing access to higher education for students in those areas. Under this bill, the coordinating board is mandated to authorize a junior college located in specific demographic conditions—namely, one that's in a county with a population of less than 500,000 and adjacent to a county with a population exceeding three million—to offer nursing degree programs.

Contention

Discussions surrounding the bill reveal points of contention regarding the role of public junior colleges and the implications of expanding their educational offerings. Proponents argue that this expansion will better serve local communities by providing more advanced degrees without necessitating lengthy commutes to larger universities. However, opponents may raise concerns over whether junior colleges have the capacity and resources to effectively deliver baccalaureate programs or whether this could lead to a dilution of educational standards. The requirement that funding for new programs come only from specific sources might also lead to debates on sustainability and fiscal responsibility in the development of these programs.