86R16830 JRJ-D
By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 3601
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the accreditation by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board of competency-based education degree plans for
members of the Texas military forces.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.0521 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.0521. ACCREDITATION OF COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION
DEGREE PLANS FOR MEMBERS OF TEXAS MILITARY FORCES. (a) In this
section, "Texas military forces" has the meaning assigned by
Section 437.001, Government Code.
(b) The board shall accredit, or otherwise approve an
accrediting organization recognized by the board to accredit, a
degree plan offered in coordination with the Texas Military
Department that uses alternative methods of determining mastery of
program content, including competency-based education.
(c) To be eligible for a degree accredited under this
section, a person must:
(1) have graduated from high school or received the
equivalent of a high school diploma;
(2) satisfy the minimum active military service
obligation to the Texas military forces for a degree plan as
follows:
(A) for an associate degree, two years of
service;
(B) for a baccalaureate degree, four years of
service; and
(C) for a graduate degree, six years of service;
and
(3) complete and meet the standards of the degree
plan.
(d) The board shall propose rules to establish requirements
under which a person's training and experience acquired during the
person's military service serves as proof of the person's
demonstration of subject matter knowledge if that training and
experience are verified by the Texas Military Department.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall
adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the
accreditation of competency-based education degree plans for
members of the Texas military forces established under Section
61.0521, Education Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with degree plans
offered for enrollment for the 2020-2021 academic year.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.