BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 802
85R5694 KJE-D	By: Seliger
	Higher Education
	3/10/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Articulation agreements, partnerships between institutions of higher education (IHEs) to transfer and accept specific course credits from one another, are prevalent throughout Texas' institutions and are an integral part of the transfer system. The number and scope of agreements vary from IHE to IHE and can be difficult for transfer students to navigate.

S.B. 802 requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to collect data and report to the legislature on best practices between these higher education institutional partnerships. Currently, no data is collected on which IHEs have articulation agreements with one another and which majors those agreements are centered around. This bill allows the legislature to gain a better understanding of the types of articulation agreements that exist and learn best practices that could be duplicated.

As proposed, S.B. 802 amends current law relating to a study and report regarding best practices in the provision of dual credit courses by public institutions of higher education and the transfer of course credit between those institutions.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Section 61.0667, as follows:

Sec. 61.0667. STUDY ON BEST PRACTICES IN DUAL CREDIT AND CREDIT TRANSFER. (a) Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to conduct a study to identify best practices in ensuring that dual credit courses provided by an institution of higher education (IHE) and courses transferred to an IHE for course credit apply toward a degree program at the IHE.

(b) Requires the study to evaluate existing articulation agreements under which IHEs provide dual credit courses to school district students or that govern the transfer of course credit between IHEs, and identify those IHEs that are implementing the best practices identified under Subsection (a).

(c) Requires an IHE, on request, to provide information to THECB as necessary for THECB to perform its duties under this section.

(d) Requires THECB, not later than September 1, 2018, to submit to the legislature the results of its study under this section and recommendations for legislative or other action.

(e) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2019.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.