Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2647 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Middleton S.B. No. 2647
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6	6	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
7	7	AN ACT
8	8	relating to the accreditation of postsecondary educational
9	9	institutions; authorizing fees.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding
12	12	Subchapters G-1 and G-2 to read as follows:
13	13	SUBCHAPTER G-1. QUALITY REVIEW OF ACCREDITING AGENCIES
14	14	Sec. 51.371. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
15	15	(1) "Accrediting agency" means an organization,
16	16	association, or other entity that accredits postsecondary
17	17	educational institutions.
18	18	(2) "Board," "institution of higher education," and
19	19	"recognized accrediting agency" have the meanings assigned by
20	20	Section 61.003.
21	21	Sec. 51.372. APPROVAL AND REVIEW OF ACCREDITING AGENCIES.
22	22	(a) The board shall identify and approve at least three accrediting
23	23	agencies best suited to serve as accreditors for institutions of
24	24	higher education.
25	25	(b) Subject to Subsections (c) and (d), the board shall
26	26	conduct a biennial evaluation of accrediting agencies approved
27	27	under Subsection (a). The evaluation must rate each agency as
28	28	unsatisfactory or satisfactory based on evaluation standards
29	29	established by board rule. The board shall make the evaluation
30	30	standards available to the public on the board's Internet website.
31	31	(c) If an institution of higher education seeks
32	32	accreditation from a recognized accrediting agency that the board
33	33	has not approved under Subsection (a), the board shall evaluate the
34	34	agency under Subsection (b) not later than the fifth anniversary of
35	35	the date the institution receives accreditation from the agency.
36	36	(d) If at the time the board would be required to conduct an
37	37	evaluation of an accrediting agency under Subsection (b) the board
38	38	does not have sufficient information to conduct the evaluation, the
39	39	board shall obtain the necessary information and conduct the
40	40	evaluation of the agency as soon as practicable.
41	41	(e) The board's evaluation of an accrediting agency under
42	42	Subsection (b) must include an assessment of whether the agency
43	43	requires or encourages the institution to take action that
44	44	conflicts with state law, including Section 51.3525.
45	45	(f) The board may revoke the approval of an accrediting
46	46	agency under Subsection (a) if the board determines based on an
47	47	evaluation under Subsection (b) that the agency should no longer be
48	48	approved.
49	49	(g) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year,
50	50	the board shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor,
51	51	the speaker of the house of representatives, the Legislative Budget
52	52	Board, and the chairs of the standing legislative committees with
53	53	primary jurisdiction over higher education and make available to
54	54	the public on the board's Internet website a report of the
55	55	evaluations made under this section. The report must include a
56	56	ranking of the performance of accrediting agencies approved under
57	57	Subsection (a) and information regarding any accrediting agency the
58	58	board determines should no longer be approved under that
59	59	subsection.
60	60	Sec. 51.373. ACCREDITATION OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER
61	61	EDUCATION. (a) Each institution of higher education shall, at the
62	62	institution's expense, seek accreditation by an accrediting agency
63	63	approved by the board under Section 51.372(a) with a satisfactory
64	64	performance rating under Section 51.372(b).
65	65	(b) An institution of higher education accredited by an
66	66	accrediting agency that receives an unsatisfactory performance
67	67	rating under Section 51.372(b) shall, at the institution's expense,
68	68	obtain accreditation from an accrediting agency approved by the
69	69	board under Section 51.372(a) with a satisfactory performance
70	70	rating under Section 51.372(b) not later than the earlier of:
71	71	(1) the fifth anniversary of the date the agency
72	72	receives the unsatisfactory performance rating; or
73	73	(2) a date determined by board rule.
74	74	(c) An institution of higher education accredited by an
75	75	accrediting agency with a satisfactory performance rating under
76	76	Section 51.372(b) may continue to be accredited by that agency for
77	77	as long as the agency maintains a satisfactory performance rating.
78	78	Sec. 51.374. NONCOMPLIANCE. (a) If the board determines
79	79	that an institution of higher education has failed to substantially
80	80	comply with Section 51.373, the board shall provide the institution
81	81	and each person described by Section 51.372(g) with written notice
82	82	of the determination.
83	83	(b) An institution of higher education that receives notice
84	84	under Subsection (a) shall take corrective actions to comply with
85	85	Section 51.373 not later than the 180th day after the date of
86	86	receipt of the notice. If the institution fails to substantially
87	87	comply with Section 51.373 by that date, the board shall notify the
88	88	comptroller of the institution's noncompliance.
89	89	(c) On receipt of notice under Subsection (b), the
90	90	comptroller shall withhold all state funding from the institution
91	91	of higher education until the board notifies the comptroller that
92	92	the institution is substantially complying with Section 51.373.
93	93	Sec. 51.375. RULES. The board shall adopt rules as
94	94	necessary to implement this subchapter.
95	95	Sec. 51.376. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This subchapter
96	96	expires on the 30th day after the date on which the board notifies
97	97	the secretary of state that each institution of higher education
98	98	subject to accreditation by the Texas Accreditation Agency under
99	99	Subchapter G-2 is accredited as required by that subchapter. The
100	100	secretary of state shall publish notice of that date in the Texas
101	101	Register.
102	102	SUBCHAPTER G-2. TEXAS ACCREDITATION AGENCY
103	103	Sec. 51.381. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
104	104	(1) "Agency" means the Texas Accreditation Agency
105	105	established under this subchapter.
106	106	(2) "Board," "general academic teaching institution,"
107	107	"institution of higher education," "medical and dental unit,"
108	108	"private or independent institution of higher education," and
109	109	"public junior college" have the meanings assigned by Section
110	110	61.003.
111	111	(3) "Law school" means a postsecondary educational
112	112	institution or component of a postsecondary educational
113	113	institution that offers a juris doctor or equivalent program.
114	114	(4) "Legal division" means the division in the agency
115	115	established under Section 51.386.
116	116	(5) "Medical and dental division" means the division
117	117	in the agency established under Section 51.385.
118	118	Sec. 51.382. ESTABLISHMENT. (a) The Texas Accreditation
119	119	Agency is established to serve as the primary accrediting body for
120	120	institutions of higher education.
121	121	(b) The agency is administratively attached to and
122	122	supported by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
123	123	Sec. 51.383. BOARD OF TRUSTEES. (a) The agency is governed
124	124	by a board of trustees that consists of 11 members as follows:
125	125	(1) five members appointed by the governor;
126	126	(2) two members elected by general academic teaching
127	127	institutions;
128	128	(3) two members elected by public junior colleges;
129	129	(4) one member elected by the medical units of the
130	130	medical and dental units; and
131	131	(5) one member elected by the dental units of the
132	132	medical and dental units.
133	133	(b) The board shall hold an election to elect each member of
134	134	the board of trustees described by Subsections (a)(2) through (5).
135	135	Each general academic teaching institution, public junior college,
136	136	and medical and dental unit may nominate a candidate in the election
137	137	for the applicable trustee position being filled in the election
138	138	and is entitled to cast one vote in the election.
139	139	(c) A vacancy on the board of trustees is filled in the same
140	140	manner as the initial appointment or election for the applicable
141	141	position.
142	142	(d) Trustees serve staggered six-year terms, with the terms
143	143	of one or two appointed members and the terms of two or three
144	144	elected members expiring on February 1 of each odd-numbered year.
145	145	(e) The members of the board of trustees shall elect a
146	146	presiding officer from among its membership. The presiding officer
147	147	shall:
148	148	(1) convene meetings of the board of trustees;
149	149	(2) coordinate and direct the activities of the
150	150	agency; and
151	151	(3) communicate with the board regarding the
152	152	activities of the agency.
153	153	(f) A trustee is not entitled to compensation but is
154	154	entitled to reimbursement for the travel expenses incurred by the
155	155	trustee while transacting agency business, as provided by the
156	156	General Appropriations Act.
157	157	(g) The agency is subject to Chapters 551, 552, and 2001,
158	158	Government Code.
159	159	Sec. 51.384. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) Subject to Section
160	160	51.385 or 51.386, the agency shall develop, implement, and maintain
161	161	rigorous accreditation standards for institutions of higher
162	162	education. The accreditation standards must ensure quality
163	163	education and institutional integrity based on the following
164	164	criteria for each institution of higher education:
165	165	(1) postsecondary economic outcomes;
166	166	(2) debt-to-earning potential of students;
167	167	(3) a clearly defined mission that:
168	168	(A) is publicly available and appropriate for
169	169	higher education; and
170	170	(B) addresses, as applicable, teaching,
171	171	learning, and research;
172	172	(4) a demonstrated commitment to continuous
173	173	improvement of educational programs and services to achieve the
174	174	institution's mission;
175	175	(5) regular assessment and documentation of
176	176	compliance by the institution with accreditation standards; and
177	177	(6) any other criteria the board considers necessary.
178	178	(b) Subject to Section 51.385 or 51.386, the agency shall
179	179	conduct an evaluation, including an on-site visit, of each
180	180	institution of higher education and assign an accreditation status
181	181	to the institution based on findings made during the agency's
182	182	evaluation.
183	183	(c) The agency shall collaborate with the board to ensure
184	184	the accreditation process and criteria are aligned with statewide
185	185	educational goals.
186	186	(d) The agency shall develop and maintain a publicly
187	187	accessible database on institutions of higher education evaluated
188	188	and accredited by the agency, including any findings and
189	189	recommendations made by the agency regarding the institution.
190	190	Sec. 51.385. ACCREDITATION OF MEDICAL AND DENTAL SCHOOLS.
191	191	(a) The agency shall establish a division dedicated to accrediting
192	192	medical and dental units.
193	193	(b) The medical and dental division shall develop
194	194	accreditation standards specific to medical and dental education
195	195	that take into consideration clinical training, research, and
196	196	compliance with state and federal health care regulations.
197	197	(c) The medical and dental division shall collaborate with
198	198	relevant health care and medical and dental education stakeholders,
199	199	including the Texas Medical Board, the State Board of Dental
200	200	Examiners, and the Health and Human Services Commission, to ensure
201	201	the standards developed under Subsection (b) align with educational
202	202	and practice requirements.
203	203	(d) The medical and dental division shall require a medical
204	204	and dental unit seeking accreditation to undergo a separate,
205	205	comprehensive review process that includes an evaluation of
206	206	clinical sites and an assessment of faculty credentials.
207	207	Sec. 51.386. ACCREDITATION OF LAW SCHOOLS. (a) The agency
208	208	shall establish a division dedicated to accrediting law schools.
209	209	(b) The legal division shall develop accreditation
210	210	standards specific to legal education.
211	211	(c) The legal division shall collaborate with relevant
212	212	legal education stakeholders, including the Board of Law Examiners,
213	213	to ensure the standards developed under Subsection (b) align with
214	214	educational and legal practice requirements.
215	215	(d) The legal division shall require a law school seeking
216	216	accreditation to undergo a separate, comprehensive review process
217	217	developed by the agency.
218	218	Sec. 51.387. REPORTS. The agency shall submit a report on
219	219	the status of the agency's activities and institutional compliance:
220	220	(1) not later than November 1 of each year, to the
221	221	board; and
222	222	(2) not later than November 1 of each even-numbered
223	223	year, to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
224	224	house of representatives, the Legislative Budget Board, and the
225	225	chairs of the standing legislative committees with primary
226	226	jurisdiction over higher education.
227	227	Sec. 51.388. VOLUNTARY ACCREDITATION PROCESS. (a) An
228	228	out-of-state postsecondary educational institution or a private or
229	229	independent institution of higher education may apply for
230	230	accreditation by the agency.
231	231	(b) The agency shall:
232	232	(1) establish a process by which an institution
233	233	described by Subsection (a) may apply for voluntary accreditation;
234	234	(2) allow an institution described by Subsection (a)
235	235	to request to be accredited through the accreditation process
236	236	provided by the medical and dental division; and
237	237	(3) maintain the same academic standards and other
238	238	standards for voluntary accreditation of an institution described
239	239	by Subsection (a) as the standards developed for accreditation for
240	240	institutions of higher education.
241	241	Sec. 51.389. FEES. (a) The agency may collect a fee from an
242	242	institution of higher education, medical and dental unit, law
243	243	school, out-of-state postsecondary educational institution, or
244	244	private or independent institution of higher education undergoing
245	245	the accreditation process under this subchapter. A fee collected
246	246	under this section may be used only for the agency's operations.
247	247	(b) The agency and the board jointly shall prescribe the
248	248	amount of the fee charged for voluntary accreditation under Section
249	249	51.388.
250	250	Sec. 51.390. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may
251	251	solicit, accept, and use gifts, grants, and donations from public
252	252	and private sources for the purposes of this subchapter.
253	253	Sec. 51.391. RULES. The board shall adopt rules as
254	254	necessary to implement this subchapter.
255	255	Sec. 51.392. TRANSITION TO ACCREDITATION BY AGENCY. (a)
256	256	Following the expiration of the institution's, unit's, or school's
257	257	accreditation cycle beginning before January 1, 2027, each
258	258	institution of higher education, medical and dental unit, and law
259	259	school must become accredited by the agency, the medical and dental
260	260	division, or the legal division, as applicable.
261	261	(b) An institution of higher education, medical and dental
262	262	unit, or law school shall submit written notice to the agency of the
263	263	institution's, unit's, or school's intent to seek accreditation by
264	264	the agency not later than six months before the date the
265	265	institution's, unit's, or school's accreditation received before
266	266	January 1, 2027, is scheduled to expire.
267	267	(c) The agency shall provide guidance and support to
268	268	institutions of higher education, medical and dental units, and law
269	269	schools throughout the transition to agency accreditation to
270	270	minimize disruptions and ensure compliance with this subchapter.
271	271	(d) This section applies to:
272	272	(1) an institution of higher education only if the
273	273	agency is officially recognized as an accrediting agency by the
274	274	United States Department of Education;
275	275	(2) a medical and dental unit only if the medical and
276	276	dental division is officially recognized as an accrediting agency
277	277	by the United States Department of Education; and
278	278	(3) a law school only if the legal division is
279	279	officially recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States
280	280	Department of Education.
281	281	(e) If the board determines that an institution of higher
282	282	education, medical and dental unit, or law school has failed to
283	283	substantially comply with this section, the board shall provide the
284	284	institution, unit, or school and each person described by Section
285	285	51.387(2) with written notice of the determination.
286	286	(f) An institution of higher education, medical and dental
287	287	unit, or law school that receives notice under Subsection (e) shall
288	288	take corrective actions to comply with this section not later than
289	289	the 180th day after the date of receipt of the notice. If the
290	290	institution, unit, or school fails to substantially comply with
291	291	this section by that date, the board shall notify the comptroller of
292	292	the institution's, unit's, or school's noncompliance.
293	293	(g) On receipt of notice under Subsection (f), the
294	294	comptroller shall withhold all state funding from the institution
295	295	of higher education, medical and dental unit, or law school until
296	296	the board notifies the comptroller that the institution, unit, or
297	297	school is substantially complying with this section.
298	298	(h) This section expires September 1, 2037.
299	299	SECTION 2. Sections 61.003(13) and (15), Education Code,
300	300	are amended to read as follows:
301	301	(13) "Recognized accrediting agency" means [the
302	302	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and] any [other]
303	303	association or organization approved [so designated] by the board.
304	304	(15) "Private or independent institution of higher
305	305	education" includes only a private or independent college or
306	306	university that is:
307	307	(A) organized under the Texas Non-Profit
308	308	Corporation Act (Article 1396-1.01 et seq., Vernon's Texas Civil
309	309	Statutes);
310	310	(B) exempt from taxation under Article VIII,
311	311	Section 2, of the Texas Constitution and Section 501(c)(3) of the
312	312	Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. Section 501); and
313	313	(C) accredited by:
314	314	(i) a recognized accrediting agency
315	315	approved by the board for the purpose of accrediting general
316	316	academic teaching institutions [the Commission on Colleges of the
317	317	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools];
318	318	(ii) the Liaison Committee on Medical
319	319	Educationa recognized accrediting agency approved by the board for
320	320	the purpose of accrediting a medical or dental unit; or
321	321	(iii) the American Bar Association an
322	322	accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education
323	323	for the purposes of institutional accreditation of law schools.
324	324	SECTION 3. Section 61.0515(a), Education Code, is amended
325	325	to read as follows:
326	326	(a) To earn a baccalaureate degree, a student may not be
327	327	required by a general academic teaching institution to complete
328	328	more than the minimum number of semester credit hours required for
329	329	the degree by the institution's recognized accrediting agency
330	330	[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or its successor]
331	331	unless the institution determines that there is a compelling
332	332	academic reason for requiring completion of additional semester
333	333	credit hours for the degree.
334	334	SECTION 4. Section 61.05151(a), Education Code, is amended
335	335	to read as follows:
336	336	(a) To earn an associate degree, a student may not be
337	337	required by an institution of higher education to complete more
338	338	than the minimum number of semester credit hours required for the
339	339	degree by the institution's recognized accrediting agency
340	340	[Southern Association of Colleges and Schools or its successor]
341	341	unless the institution determines that there is a compelling
342	342	academic reason for requiring completion of additional semester
343	343	credit hours for the degree.
344	344	SECTION 5. Sections 61.222(a), (b), and (d), Education
345	345	Code, are amended to read as follows:
346	346	(a) The coordinating board shall approve only those private
347	347	or independent colleges or universities that are private or
348	348	independent institutions of higher education as defined by Section
349	349	61.003 as that section existed on January 1, 2025 [or are located
350	350	within this state and meet the same program standards and
351	351	accreditation as public institutions of higher education as
352	352	determined by the board].
353	353	(b) The coordinating board may temporarily approve a
354	354	private or independent institution of higher education as defined
355	355	by Section 61.003 as that section existed on January 1, 2025, that
356	356	previously qualified under Subsection (a) but no longer holds the
357	357	same accreditation as public institutions of higher education. To
358	358	qualify under this subsection, an institution must be:
359	359	(1) accredited by a recognized accrediting agency [an
360	360	accreditor recognized by the board];
361	361	(2) actively working toward the same accreditation as
362	362	public institutions of higher education;
363	363	(3) participating in the federal financial aid program
364	364	under 20 U.S.C. Section 1070a; and
365	365	(4) a "part B institution" as defined by 20 U.S.C.
366	366	Section 1061(2) and listed in 34 C.F.R. Section 608.2.
367	367	(d) The coordinating board shall approve a private or
368	368	independent institution of higher education as defined by Section
369	369	61.003 as that section existed on January 1, 2025, that previously
370	370	qualified under Subsection (a) but no longer holds the same
371	371	accreditation as public institutions of higher education. To
372	372	qualify under this subsection, an institution must be:
373	373	(1) accredited by a recognized accrediting agency [an
374	374	accreditor recognized by the board];
375	375	(2) a work college, as that term is defined by 20
376	376	U.S.C. Section 1087-58; and
377	377	(3) participating in the federal financial aid program
378	378	under 20 U.S.C. Section 1070a.
379	379	SECTION 6. Section 61.8235(f), Education Code, is amended
380	380	to read as follows:
381	381	(f) A student enrolled in a board-established program of
382	382	study who transfers from a public junior college, public state
383	383	college, or public technical institute to another public junior
384	384	college, public state college, or public technical institute that
385	385	offers a similar program, regardless of whether the institution has
386	386	adopted the board-established program of study, shall receive
387	387	academic credit from the institution to which the student
388	388	transferred for each of the courses that the student has
389	389	successfully completed in the program of study curriculum. Unless
390	390	otherwise required by the institution's recognized accrediting
391	391	agency [Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of
392	392	Colleges and Schools], the student may complete the program of
393	393	study at the institution to which the student transferred by
394	394	completing only the remaining number of semester credit hours the
395	395	student would need to complete the program of study at the
396	396	institution from which the student transferred.
397	397	SECTION 7. Section 107.151(c), Education Code, is amended
398	398	to read as follows:
399	399	(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,
400	400	the university may operate as a general academic teaching
401	401	institution only after the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
402	402	Board certifies that the university is accredited by a recognized
403	403	accrediting agency, as defined by Section 61.003, [the Southern
404	404	Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges] and has
405	405	been approved by the coordinating board to offer one or more degree
406	406	programs. Until the coordinating board certifies that the
407	407	conditions of this subsection have been met, the board of regents
408	408	may operate a branch campus of Texas Woman's University in the city
409	409	of Dallas.
410	410	SECTION 8. Section 107.201(c), Education Code, is amended
411	411	to read as follows:
412	412	(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,
413	413	the university may operate as a general academic teaching
414	414	institution only after the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
415	415	Board certifies that the university is accredited by a recognized
416	416	accrediting agency, as defined by Section 61.003, [the Southern
417	417	Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges] and has
418	418	been approved by the coordinating board to offer one or more degree
419	419	programs. Until the coordinating board certifies that the
420	420	conditions of this subsection have been met, the board of regents
421	421	may operate a branch campus of Texas Woman's University in the city
422	422	of Houston.
423	423	SECTION 9. Section 130.301, Education Code, is amended by
424	424	adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
425	425	(3) "Recognized accrediting agency" has the meaning
426	426	assigned by Section 61.003.
427	427	SECTION 10. Section 130.305, Education Code, is amended to
428	428	read as follows:
429	429	Sec. 130.305. ACCREDITATION. A public junior college
430	430	offering a baccalaureate degree program under this subchapter must
431	431	meet all applicable accreditation requirements of a recognized
432	432	accrediting agency [the Commission on Colleges of the Southern
433	433	Association of Colleges and Schools].
434	434	SECTION 11. Section 130.307(c), Education Code, is amended
435	435	to read as follows:
436	436	(c) Before a public junior college may be authorized to
437	437	offer a baccalaureate degree program under this subchapter, the
438	438	public junior college must submit a report to the coordinating
439	439	board that includes:
440	440	(1) a long-term financial plan for receiving
441	441	accreditation from a recognized accrediting agency [the Commission
442	442	on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools];
443	443	(2) a long-term plan for faculty recruitment that:
444	444	(A) indicates the ability to pay the increased
445	445	salaries of doctoral faculty;
446	446	(B) identifies recruitment strategies for new
447	447	faculty; and
448	448	(C) ensures the program would not draw faculty
449	449	employed by a neighboring institution offering a similar program;
450	450	(3) detailed information on the manner of program and
451	451	course delivery; and
452	452	(4) detailed information regarding existing
453	453	articulation agreements and dual enrollment agreements indicating:
454	454	(A) that at least three articulation agreements
455	455	have been established with general academic teaching institutions
456	456	or medical and dental units, or the reasons why no articulation
457	457	agreements have been established; and
458	458	(B) that, with the agreement of the applicable
459	459	general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit,
460	460	established articulation agreements are at capacity.
461	461	SECTION 12. (a) Not later than January 1, 2026:
462	462	(1) the governor shall make the initial appointments
463	463	of members of the board of trustees of the Texas Accreditation
464	464	Agency as required by Section 51.383(a), Education Code, as added
465	465	by this Act; and
466	466	(2) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
467	467	shall hold the initial elections required by Section 51.383(b),
468	468	Education Code, as added by this Act.
469	469	(b) In making the initial appointments, the governor shall
470	470	appoint two trustees to initial terms expiring February 1, 2031,
471	471	two trustees to initial terms expiring February 1, 2029, and one
472	472	trustee to an initial term expiring February 1, 2027.
473	473	(c) After the initial elections for trustees, the
474	474	commissioner of higher education by lot shall determine when the
475	475	terms of the initial elected trustees expire, with the initial
476	476	terms of two elected trustees expiring February 1, 2031, two
477	477	initial terms expiring February 1, 2029, and two initial terms
478	478	expiring February 1, 2027, except that the initial terms of the two
479	479	members elected under Section 51.383(a)(2) or (3) may not expire in
480	480	the same year.
481	481	SECTION 13. (a) In this section:
482	482	(1) "Agency" means the Texas Accrediting Agency.
483	483	(2) "Legal division" means the division of the agency
484	484	established under Section 51.386, Education Code, as added by this
485	485	Act.
486	486	(3) "Medical and dental division" means the division
487	487	of the agency established under Section 51.385, Education Code, as
488	488	added by this Act.
489	489	(b) Not later than September 1, 2026, the agency, the
490	490	medical and dental division, and the legal division shall develop
491	491	and present the agency's and divisions' respective accrediting
492	492	processes and criteria to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
493	493	Board for review.
494	494	(c) Not later than December 1, 2026, the agency, the medical
495	495	and dental division, and the legal division shall adopt and submit
496	496	the agency's and divisions' respective accrediting processes and
497	497	criteria to the legislature.
498	498	(d) Not later than January 1, 2027, the agency, the medical
499	499	and dental division, and the legal division shall request
500	500	recognition as an accrediting agency for institutions of higher
501	501	education, medical and dental units, or law schools, as applicable,
502	502	from the United States Department of Education and perform all
503	503	actions and submit to the department all materials necessary for
504	504	that purpose.
505	505	SECTION 14. Notwithstanding Section 51.387, Education
506	506	Code, as added by this Act, the Texas Accreditation Agency shall
507	507	submit the initial report:
508	508	(1) required by Section 51.387(1), Education Code, as
509	509	added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2027; and
510	510	(2) required by Section 51.387(2), Education Code, as
511	511	added by this Act, not later than November 1, 2028.
512	512	SECTION 15. Section 51.388, Education Code, as added by
513	513	this Act, applies beginning January 1, 2028.
514	514	SECTION 16. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.