The Senate Committee on Higher Education met on March 15 to discuss dual credit transferability and articulation agreements. This report focuses on discussion over SB 802 and SB 1091.
 
SB 802 (Seliger) 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.
Sen. Seliger lays out SB 802

  • Consolidated list of articulation agreements does not exist, can be difficult for students
  • Requires Coordinating Board to collect data and report to the legislature on these agreements
  • Goes hand-in-hand with transferability issues
  • CSSB 802 – Clarifies intent of report to focus on articulation agreements and moves due date to November 2018
  • West – How will this particular study interact with existing studies
    • Would hope they are not redundant and interact well

 
Rex Peebles, Higher Education Coordinating Board

  • West – How many studies are underway?
    • At least 3, Coordinating Board is contracting with Rand corporation now, UT is conducting one, and other in the UT system
    • This particular bill looks at articulation agreements, which isn’t necessarily the focus of other studies, e.g. Rand is looking at MOUs
  • West – What is the difference?
    • MOUs govern the relationship between the college and the ISDs
  • West – Wouldn’t it be more efficient to have them look at both at the same time?
    • Probably, yes
    • Current studies will not cover transfer of credits through articulation agreements between colleges
  • West – How much is this going to cost and who will do the study?
    • Not sure if there is a fiscal note attached
    • Board can gather articulation agreements pretty easily and provide some sort of study
  • West – Rand corporation is already doing a study on the MOU aspect, why shouldn’t the Rand study be expanded?
    • Seliger – Not sure it is separated, impression is Coordinating Board will utilize the Rand study to develop this study
    • Peebles – Can use Rand study for part of this, but will not cover the whole ask
  • West – Just want to make certain that this study fits in nicely with efforts underway
    • I believe that it would

 
Jacob Fraire, Texas Association of Community Colleges – For SB 802

  • Greatly supports the bill, this provides a useful and deep analysis of articulation agreements and dual credit
  • Puts two salient parts of credit transfer conversation together; compliments the Rand study and will be able to see how dual credit transfer is a component of the articulation agreement
  • Will help inform how ISD and colleges create dual credit agreements
  • West – Wants to speak with Coordinating Board and TACC over development courses later
    • Seliger – Will have Williamson County officials call West to discuss developmental program
  • West – Would appreciate that, thought legislature passed a law Coordinating Board previously concerning allowing modules to be taken

 
CSSB 802 voted out (6-0)
 
SB 1091 (Seliger) Relating to limitations on courses that may be offered for dual credit by school districts and public institutions of higher education.
Sen. Seliger lays out SB 1091

  • SB 1091 would prohibit higher education from offering dual credit courses outside of those funded by the state, does not apply to Early College Education Program
  • West – Has an issue concerning Early College Education Program, would like to ask a resource

 
Rex Peebles, Higher Education Coordinating Board

  • West – If you are taking courses in the Early College High School Program that are part of the core course curriculum, you do or do not get credit?
    • You do get credit, the idea behind the program is you earn credit towards a degree and college, those courses beyond core for this program would thus count as you need to amass 60 hours
  • Bettencourt – What would this stop on dual credit?
    • We do know some colleges offer dual credit outside of state funded areas, we don’t know the scope of that
    • Concern is that these courses would not be able to transfer and apply
  • Bettencourt – So the transferability is at risk, but we don’t have a positive lock on what that is or is not
  • Bettencourt – So what can we do to positively effect this?
    • Seliger – Concern is that students are working on courses that might not transfer
  • Bettencourt – So you expect them to be able to present a report that has some type of lane control
    • Would hope yes, would hope for information that helps best accomplish goals of the bill

 
SB 1091 voted out (6-0)