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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to efforts to facilitate the completion by students of |
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undergraduate certificate and degree programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 33.007, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and |
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(d) to read as follows: |
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(b) During the first school year a student is enrolled in a |
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high school or at the high school level in an open-enrollment |
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charter school, and again during each year of a student's |
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enrollment in high school or at the high school level, a school |
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counselor shall provide information about postsecondary education |
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to the student and the student's parent or guardian. The |
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information must include information regarding: |
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(1) the importance of postsecondary education; |
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(2) the advantages of earning an endorsement and a |
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performance acknowledgment and completing the distinguished level |
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of achievement under the foundation high school program under |
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Section 28.025; |
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(3) the disadvantages of taking courses to prepare for |
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a high school equivalency examination relative to the benefits of |
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taking courses leading to a high school diploma; |
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(4) financial aid eligibility; |
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(5) instruction on how to apply for federal financial |
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aid; |
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(6) the center for financial aid information |
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established under Section 61.0776; |
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(7) the automatic admission of certain students to |
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general academic teaching institutions as provided by Section |
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51.803; |
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(8) the eligibility and academic performance |
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requirements for the TEXAS Grant as provided by Subchapter M, |
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Chapter 56; [and] |
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(9) the availability of advanced academic programs in |
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the district under which a student may earn college credit, |
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including advanced placement programs[, dual credit programs,
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joint high school and college credit programs,] and international |
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baccalaureate programs; |
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(10) the availability of dual credit and joint high |
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school and college credit programs, including: |
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(A) the types of courses offered under each |
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program, such as whether the courses are in the core curriculum of a |
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certificate or degree program at an institution of higher education |
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or are career and technology education courses; and |
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(B) whether the courses offered under each |
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program would transfer to an institution of higher education for |
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course credit applied toward a certificate or degree program; and |
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(11) recommended course sequences at and transfer |
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compacts between institutions of higher education, including the |
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web-based platforms developed under Sections 61.843(g) and |
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61.844(c). |
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(b-1) Each school district and open-enrollment charter |
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school shall post the information described by Subsection (b)(10) |
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on the district's or school's Internet website. The district or |
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school shall annually review and, if necessary, update that |
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information. |
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(b-2) Each school district and open-enrollment charter |
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school, in consultation with school counselors employed by the |
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district or school, shall develop a procedure for documenting on |
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each student's transcript any postsecondary advising services |
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provided to the student under this section, including the name of |
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the person or counseling provider who provided the services. |
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(d) In this section, "institution of higher education" has |
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the meaning assigned by Section 61.003. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter S-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER S-1. TEXAS GUIDED PATHWAYS PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.841. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Program" means the Texas Guided Pathways program |
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established under this subchapter. |
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(2) "Texas OnCourse initiative" means the |
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postsecondary education and career counseling academy developed by |
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The University of Texas at Austin under Section 33.009. |
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Sec. 61.842. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) The Texas |
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Guided Pathways program is established to inform, empower, and |
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support current and prospective students at institutions of higher |
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education by providing those students clear and efficient pathways |
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to completion of undergraduate certificate and degree programs. |
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(b) The goals of the program are to: |
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(1) provide recommended course sequences for all |
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undergraduate certificate and degree programs offered at |
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institutions of higher education; |
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(2) increase the efficiency of transferring course |
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credit between two-year and four-year institutions of higher |
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education; |
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(3) empower students to make well-informed choices by |
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making useful course planning information available to students |
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electronically; |
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(4) decrease the cost of completing undergraduate |
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certificate and degree programs by helping students avoid taking |
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courses that do not count toward the programs; and |
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(5) streamline student pathways to completion of |
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undergraduate certificate and degree programs in a manner aligned |
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with state goals to increase educational attainment. |
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Sec. 61.843. RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES. (a) Each |
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institution of higher education shall develop a recommended course |
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sequence for each undergraduate certificate or degree program |
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offered by the institution. Each recommended course sequence must: |
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(1) be designed to enable a student to obtain a |
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certificate or degree, as applicable, within: |
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(A) for an associate degree or certificate |
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program, four semesters or other academic terms; or |
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(B) for a baccalaureate degree program, eight |
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semesters or other academic terms; |
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(2) include a specific sequence in which courses |
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should be completed to ensure completion of the applicable program |
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within the time frame described by Subdivision (1); and |
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(3) be aligned with the applicable certificate or |
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degree requirements published by the institution. |
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(b) Not later than June 1 of each year, each institution of |
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higher education shall: |
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(1) after reviewing and, if necessary, updating each |
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recommended course sequence, adopt a version of each recommended |
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course sequence to take effect beginning with entering freshmen and |
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undergraduate transfer students for the following academic year; |
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(2) submit to the board, in an electronic format |
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specified by the board, each recommended course sequence and, if |
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the institution does not use the common course numbering system, |
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information regarding the course equivalent under the common course |
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numbering system, if any, for each course included in that course |
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sequence; and |
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(3) post each recommended course sequence, including |
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any information required to be provided under Subdivision (2) for |
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that course sequence, on the institution's Internet website in a |
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location that is accessible from the institution's website home |
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page by use of not more than three links. |
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(c) Each institution of higher education shall inform |
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students about the recommended course sequences, including how to |
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use those course sequences as a tool to aid in course selection, and |
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incorporate those course sequences into student advising. |
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(d) To enable students to compare recommended course |
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sequences at institutions of higher education, each institution of |
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higher education shall post on the institution's Internet website a |
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link to the web-based platform on recommended course sequences |
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developed under Subsection (g). |
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(e) After notice to the board, an institution of higher |
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education may modify the institution's recommended course |
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sequences as necessary to: |
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(1) align the course sequence with the applicable |
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certificate or degree requirements published by the institution; |
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(2) incorporate recommended changes identified as a |
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result of any program evaluation conducted by the institution; or |
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(3) comply with applicable institutional policies, |
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accreditation requirements, and state or federal law. |
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(f) An institution of higher education shall honor each |
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version of a recommended course sequence adopted by the institution |
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under Subsection (b)(1), including any necessary modifications |
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made to the course sequence under Subsection (e), for at least the |
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four academic years occurring after the date on which that version |
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of the course sequence is adopted. |
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(g) The Texas OnCourse initiative, in consultation with its |
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partnering institutions of higher education and the board, shall |
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develop a statewide web-based platform that enables a student to: |
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(1) search for and compare recommended course |
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sequences at institutions of higher education; and |
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(2) determine whether a specific lower-division |
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course offered by an institution of higher education and identified |
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using the common course numbering system would transfer to another |
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institution of higher education for course credit applied toward |
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the student's undergraduate certificate or degree program and count |
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toward that institution's recommended course sequence for that |
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program. |
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(h) In developing the web-based platform under Subsection |
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(g), the Texas OnCourse initiative may use technology platforms |
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provided by the National Student Clearinghouse or any other |
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electronic data sharing and exchange platforms that meet nationally |
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accepted standards, conventions, and practices. |
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(i) The board shall maintain the web-based platform |
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developed under Subsection (g) and ensure that an electronic link |
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to the platform is posted on the Internet website of any electronic |
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common application system developed by the board. |
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(j) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the board shall submit to the members of the legislature a report on |
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the recommended course sequences at institutions of higher |
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education. The report must include an analysis of the alignment of |
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courses taken by students in each undergraduate certificate or |
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degree program at an institution of higher education with the |
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institution's recommended course sequence for that program. |
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Sec. 61.844. TRANSFER COMPACTS. (a) Not later than March |
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15 of each year, each institution of higher education shall submit |
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to the board in an electronic format specified by the board: |
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(1) a list of the transfer compacts in which the |
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institution participates; and |
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(2) a copy of, or an electronic link to a copy of, each |
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transfer compact listed under Subdivision (1). |
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(b) The board shall provide any necessary support for the |
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development of transfer compacts between institutions of higher |
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education. |
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(c) The Texas OnCourse initiative, in consultation with its |
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partnering institutions of higher education and the board, shall |
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develop a statewide web-based platform that provides to students |
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information regarding transfer compacts between institutions of |
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higher education, including an electronic link to each transfer |
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compact submitted to the board under Subsection (a). |
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(d) In developing the web-based platform under Subsection |
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(c), the Texas OnCourse initiative may use technology platforms |
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provided by the National Student Clearinghouse or any other |
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electronic data sharing and exchange platforms that meet nationally |
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accepted standards, conventions, and practices. |
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(e) The board shall maintain the web-based platform |
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developed under Subsection (c). |
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(f) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the board shall submit to the members of the legislature a report on |
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transfer compacts between institutions of higher education. The |
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report must include an analysis of the impact of those compacts on |
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students' efficient progress toward completion of an undergraduate |
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certificate or degree program. |
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Sec. 61.845. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The board may |
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solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or |
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private source for any expenses related to the program. |
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Sec. 61.846. RULES. The board, in consultation with |
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institutions of higher education: |
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(1) shall adopt rules for the electronic submission of |
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information required to be submitted to the board under this |
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subchapter; and |
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(2) may adopt rules as necessary to implement the |
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program. |
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SECTION 3. Section 33.007, Education Code, as amended by |
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this Act, applies beginning with the 2017-2018 school year. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter S-1, Chapter 61, Education Code, as |
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added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2018-2019 academic |
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year. |
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SECTION 5. Notwithstanding Section 61.843(b), Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, not later than August 15, 2018, each |
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public institution of higher education shall adopt, submit to the |
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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and post on the |
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institution's Internet website the initial recommended course |
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sequences as required under that section. |
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SECTION 6. Not later than November 1, 2018, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall submit its initial report |
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required under Section 61.843(j), Education Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 7. Not later than March 15, 2019, the Texas OnCourse |
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initiative shall develop the statewide web-based platforms |
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required under Sections 61.843(g) and 61.844(c), Education Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 8. Not later than November 1, 2020, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall submit its initial report |
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required under Section 61.844(f), Education Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 9. 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, 2017. |