BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 2310 By: Paxton Education K-16 4/14/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT College students oftentimes lack access to consistently accurate and transparent information regarding course requirements, especially for students who transfer from another institution, but this should not be the case with the technology available today. S.B. 2310 would help prevent avoidable student confusion, frustration, and wasted time and money by increasing transparency for both current students and prospective transfer students regarding the requirements to complete any degrees or similar programs offered by a Texas public institution of higher education. S.B. 2310 directs the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), in consultation with Texas institutions of higher education, to adopt minimum standards for Texas institutions of higher education to provide transparency online for both current students and prospective students regarding the requirements for all degrees or certificate programs offered by the institution. These rules shall require that information accessible online is up-to-dateregardless of if the information is posted on an internal student website, the institution's website, or the website of the department offering the degree or certificate programand comprehensive to include all course requirements, including prerequisites for required courses and non-course requirements required for graduation. This information must also include if those requirements differ between different tracks for completing the degree or certificate program. Additionally, this bill provides additional transparency for prospective transfer students by requiring the online posting of requirements to transfer into the institution of higher education so that a student desiring to transfer to an institution of higher education may plan one's coursework prior to transferring accordingly, and does not waste time and money on a transfer application if the student does not yet meet the requirements for acceptance. As proposed, S.B. 2310 amends current law relating to transparency regarding requirements to complete a certificate or degree program at a public institution of higher education. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 61.07771, Education Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Section 61.07771, as follows: Sec. 61.07771. TRANSPARENCY IN CERTIFICATE AND DEGREE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. (a) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), in consultation with institutions of higher education, to adopt rules requiring institutions of higher education to provide transparency in certificate and degree program requirements for students enrolling at or transferring to the institution. (b) Requires that the rules require each institution of higher education to ensure that the requirements for each certificate or degree program offered by the institution meet certain criteria and post on the institution's Internet website the minimum requirements to be accepted as a transfer student at the institution. SECTION 2. (a) Requires THECB, not later than January 1, 2026, to adopt the rules required by Section 61.07771, Education Code, as added by this Act. (b) Requires a public institution of higher education to comply with the rules adopted under Subsection (a) of this section beginning with the 20262027 academic year. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2310
By: Paxton
Education K-16
4/14/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 2310
By: Paxton
Education K-16
4/14/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
College students oftentimes lack access to consistently accurate and transparent information regarding course requirements, especially for students who transfer from another institution, but this should not be the case with the technology available today.
S.B. 2310 would help prevent avoidable student confusion, frustration, and wasted time and money by increasing transparency for both current students and prospective transfer students regarding the requirements to complete any degrees or similar programs offered by a Texas public institution of higher education.
S.B. 2310 directs the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), in consultation with Texas institutions of higher education, to adopt minimum standards for Texas institutions of higher education to provide transparency online for both current students and prospective students regarding the requirements for all degrees or certificate programs offered by the institution. These rules shall require that information accessible online is up-to-dateregardless of if the information is posted on an internal student website, the institution's website, or the website of the department offering the degree or certificate programand comprehensive to include all course requirements, including prerequisites for required courses and non-course requirements required for graduation. This information must also include if those requirements differ between different tracks for completing the degree or certificate program.
Additionally, this bill provides additional transparency for prospective transfer students by requiring the online posting of requirements to transfer into the institution of higher education so that a student desiring to transfer to an institution of higher education may plan one's coursework prior to transferring accordingly, and does not waste time and money on a transfer application if the student does not yet meet the requirements for acceptance.
As proposed, S.B. 2310 amends current law relating to transparency regarding requirements to complete a certificate or degree program at a public institution of higher education.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Section 61.07771, Education Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Section 61.07771, as follows:
Sec. 61.07771. TRANSPARENCY IN CERTIFICATE AND DEGREE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. (a) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), in consultation with institutions of higher education, to adopt rules requiring institutions of higher education to provide transparency in certificate and degree program requirements for students enrolling at or transferring to the institution.
(b) Requires that the rules require each institution of higher education to ensure that the requirements for each certificate or degree program offered by the institution meet certain criteria and post on the institution's Internet website the minimum requirements to be accepted as a transfer student at the institution.
SECTION 2. (a) Requires THECB, not later than January 1, 2026, to adopt the rules required by Section 61.07771, Education Code, as added by this Act.
(b) Requires a public institution of higher education to comply with the rules adopted under Subsection (a) of this section beginning with the 20262027 academic year.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.