| 1 | 1 | | By: Springer S.B. No. 487 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | Relating to authorizing of any Community College District to offer |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | a baccalaureate degree program in the field of education. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter L, Chapter 130, Education Code, is |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | amended by amending Section 130.303 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Section 130.303 AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN BACCALAUREATE |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | DEGREE PROGRAMS. (a) The coordinating board shall authorize |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | baccalaureate degree programs in the fields of applied science, |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | applied technology, and nursing at each public junior college that |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | previously participated in a pilot project to offer baccalaureate |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | degree programs. |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (b) The coordinating board may authorize baccalaureate |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | degree programs at one or more public junior colleges that offer a |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | degree program in the field of applied science, including a degree |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | program in the field of applied science with an emphasis in early |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | childhood education, applied technology, or nursing and have |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | demonstrated a workforce need. |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (c) The coordinating board may authorize a baccalaureate |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | degree program in the field of general education for the purposes of |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | graduating licensed teachers at any public junior college. |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (d) The limitations prescribed by Section 130.306 and |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | Section 130.307 do not apply to a baccalaureate degree program in |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | the field of general education for the purposes of graduating |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | licensed teachers under this section. |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (e) Not later than January 1, 2025, the coordinating board |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | shall prepare a progress report on the baccalaureate degree program |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | in the field of general education teacher established under this |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | section. Not later than January 1, 2027, the coordinating board |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | shall prepare a report on the effectiveness of the degree program, |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | including any recommendations for legislative action regarding the |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | offering of baccalaureate degree programs in the field of education |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | by a public junior college. The coordinating board shall deliver a |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | copy of each report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | speaker of the house of representatives, the chair of the standing |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | committee of each house of the legislature with primary |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | jurisdiction over higher education, and the primary author and |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | primary sponsor of the bill. This subsection expires January 1, |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | 2028. |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|