| 1 | 1 | | S.B. No. 1429 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to the use of standardized examinations by a school of |
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| 6 | 6 | | nursing or educational program. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 301, Occupations Code, is |
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| 9 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 301.1571 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 301.1571. USE OF STANDARDIZED EXAMINATIONS. (a) The |
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| 11 | 11 | | board shall adopt rules related to the use by a school of nursing or |
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| 12 | 12 | | educational program offered in this state of a standardized |
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| 13 | 13 | | examination prepared by a private entity. The rules must prohibit |
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| 14 | 14 | | the use of a standardized examination as a graduation requirement |
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| 15 | 15 | | or to deny students an affidavit of graduation. The rules may |
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| 16 | 16 | | authorize the use of a standardized examination only to: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) familiarize students with computerized testing; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) assess potential or enrolled students for purposes |
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| 19 | 19 | | of: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (A) serving as one component of admissions |
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| 21 | 21 | | criteria; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (B) evaluating a student's strengths and |
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| 23 | 23 | | weaknesses for remediation purposes; or |
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| 24 | 24 | | (C) identifying students experiencing academic |
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| 25 | 25 | | difficulties who require early remediation; or |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) assess the effectiveness of the school of nursing |
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| 27 | 27 | | or educational program by providing: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (A) trend data on student performance; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (B) a comparison of student performance with |
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| 30 | 30 | | nationwide averages; |
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| 31 | 31 | | (C) feedback of student knowledge of program |
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| 32 | 32 | | content; |
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| 33 | 33 | | (D) data to monitor the effectiveness of specific |
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| 34 | 34 | | course, level, and program curriculum revisions; |
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| 35 | 35 | | (E) a measure of student mastery of content; or |
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| 36 | 36 | | (F) an evaluation of the effectiveness of |
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| 37 | 37 | | curriculum content for revision purposes. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) The rules adopted under Subsection (a) must provide that |
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| 39 | 39 | | a score on a standardized examination may not account for more than |
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| 40 | 40 | | 10 percent of a course grade for a course in a school of nursing or |
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| 41 | 41 | | educational program. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (c) A school of nursing or educational program that |
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| 43 | 43 | | determines a student is in need of academic remediation on the basis |
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| 44 | 44 | | of a standardized examination may not require the student to attend |
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| 45 | 45 | | any course offered by the examination provider. |
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| 46 | 46 | | (d) Failure to comply with the rules adopted under |
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| 47 | 47 | | Subsection (a) may subject the school of nursing or educational |
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| 48 | 48 | | program to disciplinary action, including removal of the school's |
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| 49 | 49 | | or program's approval status, as determined by the board. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 51 | 51 | | of this Act, the Texas Board of Nursing shall adopt the rules |
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| 52 | 52 | | required by Section 301.1571, Occupations Code, as added by this |
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| 53 | 53 | | Act. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 55 | 55 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 56 | 56 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 57 | 57 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1429 passed the Senate on |
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| 58 | 58 | | April 13, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
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| 59 | 59 | | ______________________________ |
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| 60 | 60 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 61 | 61 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1429 passed the House on |
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| 62 | 62 | | May 16, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 1, |
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| 63 | 63 | | one present not voting. |
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| 64 | 64 | | ______________________________ |
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| 65 | 65 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 66 | 66 | | Approved: |
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| 67 | 67 | | ______________________________ |
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| 68 | 68 | | Date |
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| 69 | 69 | | ______________________________ |
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| 70 | 70 | | Governor |
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