Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

______________________
EDUCATION/Higher
77 th Texas Legislature
Transfer College Credits - H.B. 1359
by Representatives Villarreal and Rangel
Senate Sponsor: Senator Shapleigh
In 1997, the legislature directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) to develop fields
of study curricula for all degree programs to allow college students to transfer course credits among
institutions of higher education (IHEs); since then the board has completed two programs.
Requires the board to institute a decentralized management system to improve productivity.
Requires the board, by January 1, 2003, to complete field of study curricula for 10 degree programs that
are in high-demand by transfer students and another five by January 1, 2004.
Requires IHEs to include in both course catalogs and websites the common course numbering system
developed by the board.
Counting Students in the Top Ten Percent - H.B. 1387
by Representative Dukes
Senate Sponsor: Senator Barrientos
An Austin high school, which included both a magnet and a non-magnet program, experienced conflict over
the designation of students in the top 10 percent of the graduating class for automatic college admissions.
The bill’s scope is limited to one high school in the state. The bill preserves the automatic college
admission status of the non-magnet graduates while keeping magnet graduates ranked in the upper half of
the graduating class for other college admission purposes.
Authorizes a school board to treat a magnet school or other special program conducted in a high school
that has students not assigned to the magnet program as an independent high school with its own
graduating class for the top 10-percent admission rule if the program:
• existed before the 2000-2001 school year;
• enrolls only students recruited and admitted to the program from a school district with 10 high
schools;
• treats the students of the magnet program as a separate student body within the high school;
• makes up at least 35 percent of the high school enrollment;
• has a different curriculum from the host high school; and
• issues a diploma that refers to the magnet or special program.
Applies to college admission of a student who graduated before the effective date of this bill if the school
district treated the graduating class of the special program as a separate graduating class.
Senate Research Center 85