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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to developmental education courses and the assessment of |
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student readiness under the Texas Success Initiative for public |
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institutions of higher education. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 51.3062, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (f) and (i) and adding Subsections (a-1), |
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(i-2), (i-3), and (i-4) to read as follows: |
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(a-1) In this section, "program evaluation" means a |
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systematic method of collecting, analyzing, and using information |
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to answer questions about developmental education courses, |
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interventions, and policies, particularly about their |
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effectiveness and cost-efficiency. |
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(f) Each assessment instrument designated by the board for |
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use under this section must be diagnostic in nature and designed to |
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assess a student's readiness to perform freshman-level academic |
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coursework. The board shall prescribe a single standard or set of |
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standards to effectively measure student readiness as demonstrated |
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by current research for each [the] assessment instrument [or
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instruments that reflect that student readiness. An institution of
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higher education may adopt more stringent assessment standards with
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respect to student readiness]. |
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(i) The institution of higher education may refer a student |
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to developmental coursework as considered necessary by the |
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institution to address a student's deficiencies in the student's |
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readiness to perform freshman-level academic coursework, except |
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that the institution may not require enrollment in developmental |
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coursework with respect to a student previously determined by any |
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institution of higher education to have met college-readiness |
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standards. An institution of higher education that requires a |
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student to enroll in developmental coursework must offer a range of |
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developmental coursework or instructional support that includes |
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the integration of technology to efficiently address the particular |
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developmental needs of the student. |
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(i-2) An institution of higher education must base |
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developmental coursework on research-based best practices that |
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include the following components: |
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(1) assessment; |
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(2) differentiated placement and instruction; |
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(3) faculty development; |
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(4) support services; |
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(5) program evaluation; |
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(6) integration of technology with an emphasis on |
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instructional support programs; |
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(7) non-course-based developmental education |
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interventions; and |
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(8) course pairing of developmental education courses |
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with credit-bearing courses. |
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(i-3) The board shall adopt rules for the implementation of |
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Subsection (i-2). |
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(i-4) An institution of higher education must provide |
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professional development programs, including instruction in |
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differentiated instruction methods designed to address students' |
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diverse learning needs, to faculty and staff who provide |
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developmental coursework to students. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.3062(e), Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies |
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beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |