Part 1.
TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD
Chapter 5.
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Subchapter M. DUAL CREDIT PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND TEXAS PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES
19 TAC §§5.260 - 5.263
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board proposes new §§5.260
- 5.263, concerning Dual Credit Partnerships Between Secondary Schools and
Texas Public Universities. These rules identify university responsibilities
for dual credit arrangements in which a high school student enrolls in a university
course and receives simultaneous academic credit for the course from both
the university and the high school.
Marshall Hill, Assistant Commissioner for Universities and Health Related
Institutions, has determined that for the first five-year period the rules
are in effect, there will be no fiscal implications to state or local government
as a result of enforcing or administering the rules.
Dr. Hill also has determined that for the first five years the rules are
in effect, the public benefit will be that the potential benefits of administering
these sections will be to: expand the academic options for college-bound students;
improve the college readiness of these students; reduce duplication of courses
taken in high school and in college; and shorten the time required for high
school students to complete an undergraduate degree. There will be no effect
on state and local government or small businesses. There is no anticipated
economic cost to the persons who are required to comply with the rules as
proposed.
Comments on the proposed new rules may be submitted to Dr. Don W. Brown,
Commissioner of Higher Education, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,
P.O. Box 12788, Capitol Station, Austin, Texas 78711.
The new rules are proposed under Texas Education Code, Section
61.027 and 61.076, which provides the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board with the authority to adopt rules concerning Dual Credit Partnerships
Between Secondary Schools and Texas Public Universities.
These new sections affect the Texas Education Code, Section 61.076
§5.260.Purpose.
(a)
In accordance with, and under the authority of Texas Education
Code, §61.027 and §61.076, this subchapter provides rules and regulations
for public universities which engage in dual credit arrangements with secondary
schools.
(b)
Dual credit is a process by which a high school student
enrolls in a college or university course and receives simultaneous academic
credit for the course from both the college and the high school. While dual
credit courses are often taught on the secondary school campus to high school
students only, these rules also refer (when applicable) to a high school student
taking a course on the university campus and receiving both high school and
college credit. (Note that dual credit rules for community/technical colleges
are in Chapter 9, Subchapter H and are referred to as concurrent credit courses.)
§5.261.Institutional Agreements.
(a)
Need for Institutional Agreements. For any dual credit
arrangement between a secondary school and a public university, an agreement
must be approved by the governing boards or designated authorities of both
the public school district or private secondary school and the public university
prior to the offering of such courses.
(b)
Elements of Institutional Agreements. The dual credit agreement
must address the following elements:
(1)
Eligible Courses;
(2)
Student Eligibility;
(3)
Location of Class;
(4)
Student Composition of Class;
(5)
Faculty Selection, Supervision, and Evaluation;
(6)
Course Curriculum, Instruction, and Grading;
(7)
Academic Policies and Student Support Services;
(8)
Transcripting of Credit; and
(9)
Funding.
§5.262.Dual Credit Requirements.
(a)
Eligible Courses.
(1)
Courses offered for dual credit must be in the approved
course inventory of the public university.
(2)
Public universities may not offer remedial and developmental
courses for dual credit and may not enroll high school students in state-funded
developmental education courses.
(b)
Student Eligibility.
(1)
To be eligible for enrollment in a dual credit course in
a public university, the high school student must present a passing score
on the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test or a Board-approved alternative
assessment instrument in at least one area (mathematics, reading, writing)
as deemed relevant by the university for the intended dual credit course in
which the student shall enroll. Students who are exempt from taking the TASP
test or the alternative assessment are also exempt for the purpose of enrolling
in dual credit courses.
(2)
To be eligible for enrollment in a dual credit course
offered by a public university, students must meet all the university's regular
prerequisite requirements designated for that course (e.g., minimum score
on a specified placement test, minimum grade in a specified previous course,
etc.)
(3)
Dual credit students must have high school standing
at the junior or senior year level. Exceptions to this requirement for students
with demonstrated outstanding academic performance and capability may be approved
by the principal of the high school and the chief academic officer of the
public university.
(4)
The university class load of a high school student
shall not exceed two university courses per semester. Exceptions to this requirement
for students with demonstrated outstanding academic performance and capability
may be approved by the principal of the high school and the chief academic
officer of the public university.
(c)
Location of Class. Dual credit courses may be taught on
the public university campus or on the high school campus. For dual credit
courses taught exclusively to high school students on the high school campus,
the university shall provide prior notice to the respective Higher Education
Regional Council. In addition, dual credit courses taught on the high school
campus and dual credit courses taught electronically shall comply with the
Coordinating Board rules and regulations, Chapter 5, Subchapter H of this
title (relating to Distance Education and Off- Campus Instruction) and with
the Board's adopted Principles of Good Practice for Courses Offered Electronically.
(d)
Composition of Class. Dual credit courses may be composed
of dual credit students only or of dual and university credit students. Exceptions
for a mixed class, which would also include high school credit-only students,
may be allowed only under one of the following conditions:
(1)
If the course involved is required for completion under
the State Board of Education Recommended or Distinguished Achievement High
School Program graduation requirements, and the high school involved is otherwise
unable to offer such a course;
(2)
If the high school credit-only students are advanced
placement students;
(3)
If the high school involved is classified by the Texas
University Interscholastic League as a Class AA school or below, the mixed
class may be offered until September 2002, by which time small school districts
should have developed the capacity to receive dual credit courses from colleges
and universities through instructional telecommunications.
(e)
Faculty Selection, Supervision, and Evaluation.
(1)
The public university shall select instructors of dual
credit courses. These instructors must be regularly employed faculty members
of the university or must meet the same standards (including minimal requirements
of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) and approval procedures
used by the university to select faculty responsible for teaching the same
courses at the main campus of the university.
(2)
The public university shall supervise and evaluate
instructors of dual credit courses using the same or comparable procedures
used for faculty at the main campus of the university.
(f)
Course Curriculum, Instruction, and Grading. The public
university shall ensure that a dual credit course and the corresponding course
offered at the main campus of the university are equivalent with respect to
the curriculum, materials, instruction, and method/rigor of student evaluation.
These standards must be upheld regardless of the student composition of the
class (dual, dual and university, or mixed with high school credit-only students).
(g)
Academic Policies and Student Support Services.
(1)
Regular academic policies applicable to courses taught
at the public university's main campus must also apply to dual credit courses.
These policies could include the appeal process for disputed grades, drop
policy, the communication of grading policy to students, when the syllabus
must be distributed, etc.
(2)
Students in dual credit courses must be eligible to
utilize the same or comparable support services that are accorded university
students on the main campus. The university is responsible for ensuring timely
and efficient access to such services (e.g., academic advising and counseling),
to learning materials (e.g., library resources), and to other benefits for
which the student may be eligible.
(h)
Transcripting of Credit. For dual credit courses, high
school as well as college credit should be transcripted immediately upon a
student's completion of the performance required in the course.
(i)
Funding.
(1)
The state funding for dual credit courses will be available
to both public school districts and public universities based on the current
agreement between the Commissioner of Education and the Commissioner of Higher
Education.
(2)
The university may claim funding for all students
getting college credit in dual credit courses.
(3)
Only a public community/junior college may waive tuition
and fees for a Texas public high school student enrolled in a course for which
the student may receive dual course enrollment credit.
§5.263.Data Collection and Analysis.
All public universities offering dual credit courses shall collect
and report each semester the number of semester credit hours of students enrolled
in dual credit courses. Also, each university offering dual credit courses
must conduct annually an analysis of the academic performance of dual credit
students. This analysis should help the university identify any needed changes
in the institution's policies and procedures relating to dual credit students.
This agency hereby certifies that the proposal has been reviewed
by legal counsel and found to be within the agency's legal authority to adopt.
Filed with the Office of
the Secretary of State, on February 3, 2000.
TRD-200000745
James McWhorter
Assistant Commissioner for Administration
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Proposed date of adoption: April 21, 2000
For further information, please call: (512) 483-6162
Subchapter B. PROVISIONS FOR THE TUITION EQUALIZATION GRANT PROGRAMS
Chapter 22.
GRANT AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS