S.B. No. 1887
AN ACT
relating to the requirements for the early college education
program and the transfer of course credit among public institutions
of higher education.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 29.908(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The program must:
(1) provide for a course of study that enables a
participating student to combine high school courses and
college-level courses during grade levels 9 through 12;
(2) allow a participating student to complete high
school and enroll in a program at an institution of higher education
that will enable the student to, on or before the fifth anniversary
of the date of the student's first day of high school, receive a
high school diploma and either:
(A) an applied associate degree, as defined by
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rule; or
(B) an academic associate degree, as defined by
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board rule, with a completed
field of study curriculum developed under Section 61.823 that is
transferable [at least 60 semester credit hours] toward a
baccalaureate degree at one or more general academic teaching
institutions, as defined by Section 61.003;
(3) include articulation agreements with colleges,
universities, and technical schools in this state to provide a
participating student access to postsecondary educational and
training opportunities at a college, university, or technical
school; and
(4) provide a participating student flexibility in
class scheduling and academic mentoring.
SECTION 2. Section 51.4033, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 51.4033. REPORT OF NONTRANSFERABLE CREDIT. (a) Not
later than May [March] 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by
the coordinating board, each general academic teaching institution
shall provide to the coordinating board and the legislature a
report describing any courses in the Lower-Division Academic Course
Guide Manual or its successor adopted by the coordinating board for
which a student who transfers to the institution from another
institution of higher education is not granted:
(1) academic credit at the receiving institution; or
(2) if the student has declared a major and has not
changed majors, academic credit toward the student's major at the
receiving institution.
(b) A report required by this section must indicate:
(1) the course name and type;
(2) which institution of higher education provided
academic credit for the course; and
(3) the reason why the receiving institution did not
grant academic credit for the course as described by Subsection
(a), including whether the institution complied with the dispute
resolution process under Section 61.826.
SECTION 3. Section 51.4034(a), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) Not later than May [March] 1 of each year and in the form
prescribed by the coordinating board, each public junior college
shall provide to the coordinating board and the legislature a
report on courses taken by students who, during the preceding
academic year, transferred to a general academic teaching
institution or earned an associate degree at the college.
SECTION 4. Sections 61.003(11) and (12), Education Code,
are amended to read as follows:
(11) "Degree program" means any grouping of subject
matter courses which, when satisfactorily completed by a student,
will entitle the student [him] to:
(A) a degree from a public senior college or
university or a medical or dental unit; or
(B) an academic associate degree, as defined by
board rule, or baccalaureate degree from a public junior college.
(12) "Certificate program" means a grouping of
subject-matter courses which, when satisfactorily completed by a
student, will entitle the student [him] to:
(A) a certificate;
(B) an[,] associate degree, other than an
academic associate degree, as defined by board rule, from a
technical institute or junior college; or
(C) [, or] documentary evidence, other than a
degree, of completion of a course of study at the postsecondary
level.
SECTION 5. Sections 61.822(b) and (c), Education Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(b) Each institution of higher education shall adopt a core
curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours, including
specific courses comprising the curriculum. The core curriculum
shall be consistent with the common course numbering system
approved by the board and with the statement, recommendations, and
rules issued by the board. An institution may have a core
curriculum of other than 42 semester credit hours only if approved
by the board. The board by rule may approve a core curriculum of
fewer than 42 semester credit hours for an associate degree program
if the board determines that the approval would facilitate the
award of a degree or transfer of credit consistent with this
subchapter.
(c) If a student successfully completes the [42-hour] core
curriculum at an institution of higher education, that block of
courses may be transferred to any other institution of higher
education and must be substituted for the receiving institution's
core curriculum. A student shall receive academic credit for each
of the courses transferred and may not be required to take
additional core curriculum courses at the receiving institution
unless the board has approved a larger core curriculum at the
institution.
SECTION 6. Section 61.823, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as
follows:
(a-1) The board by rule may authorize a general academic
teaching institution to adopt, for each field of study curriculum
developed by the board for which the institution offers a degree
program, a set of courses specific to that field of study, for a
total of at least six semester credit hours or the equivalent, that
must be completed as part of the field of study curriculum for that
institution. Each general academic teaching institution that
adopts a set of courses for a field of study curriculum under this
subsection shall post on the institution's Internet website in a
manner easily accessible to students the set of courses with the
associated course numbers under the common course numbering system.
(b) If a student successfully completes a field of study
curriculum developed by the board, that block of courses may be
transferred to a general academic teaching institution and, subject
to completion of the set of courses adopted by the institution for
that field of study under Subsection (a-1), must be substituted for
that institution's lower division requirements for the degree
program for the field of study into which the student transfers, and
the student shall receive full academic credit toward the degree
program for the block of courses transferred.
SECTION 7. Sections 61.826(c), (d), and (e), Education
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(c) If an institution of higher education proposes to deny
the application toward the institution's core curriculum or a field
of study curriculum developed by the board under Section 61.823 of
[does not accept] course credit earned by a student at another
institution of higher education in the other institution's core
curriculum or in a field of study curriculum, that institution
must:
(1) [shall] give written notice to the student and the
other institution of that institution's intent to deny [that] the
application [transfer] of the course credit to the institution's
core curriculum or field of study curriculum and the reasons for the
proposed denial;
(2) [is denied. The two institutions and the student
shall] attempt to resolve the application [transfer] of the course
credit to the institution's core curriculum or field of study
curriculum with the other institution and the student in accordance
with this section and board rules;
(3) resolve the dispute not later than the 45th day
after the date on which the student enrolls in that institution; and
(4) if[. If] the [transfer] dispute is not resolved to
the satisfaction of the student or the institution at which the
credit was earned, [within 45 days after the date the student
received written notice of the denial, the institution that denies
the transfer of the course credit shall] notify the commissioner of
higher education of its denial to apply the course credit to the
institution's core curriculum or field of study curriculum and the
reasons for the denial.
(d) Not later than the 20th business day after the date the
commissioner of higher education receives notice of a dispute
concerning the application of course credit to an institution of
higher education's core curriculum or field of study curriculum
under Subsection (c)(4), the [The] commissioner [of higher
education] or the commissioner's designee shall make the final
determination about the [a] dispute [concerning the transfer of
course credit] and give written notice of the determination to the
involved student and institutions. If the commissioner or the
commissioner's designee determines that the institution may not
deny the application of course credit described by Subsection (c)
to the institution's core curriculum or field of study curriculum,
the institution shall apply that course credit toward the
institution's core curriculum or field of study curriculum, as
applicable. A determination by the commissioner or the
commissioner's designee under this subsection is final and may not
be appealed.
(e) The board shall:
(1) collect data on the types of transfer disputes
that are reported and the disposition of each case that is
considered by the commissioner of higher education or the
commissioner's designee; and
(2) post on the board's Internet website a list of each
case that is considered by the commissioner of higher education or
the commissioner's designee under this section, including the
disposition of the case.
SECTION 8. Section 61.827(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) In adopting rules regarding the recommended core
curriculum developed under Section 61.822, the board shall appoint
a committee to advise the board [use the negotiated rulemaking
procedures] under Section 2001.031 [Chapter 2008], Government
Code.
SECTION 9. Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.834 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.834. TEXAS DIRECT ASSOCIATE DEGREE. A public
junior college, public state college, or public technical institute
shall award a student a "Texas Direct" associate degree and include
an appropriate notation on the student's transcript if the student
completes a field of study curriculum developed by the board under
Section 61.823 and:
(1) the college's core curriculum; or
(2) an abbreviated core curriculum related to a
specific approved field of study curriculum transferable to one or
more general academic teaching institutions.
SECTION 10. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
academic year.
SECTION 11. 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, 2023.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1887 passed the Senate on
April 27, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1887 passed the House on
May 9, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 106, Nays 25, two
present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor