TITLE 19.EDUCATION

Part 1. TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD

Chapter 1. AGENCY ADMINISTRATION

Subchapter A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

19 TAC §1.16

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts amendments to §1.16, concerning Contracts for Materials and Services, with changes to the proposed text as published in the December 8, 2006, issue of the Texas Register (31 TexReg 9780).

Specifically, these amendments provide the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board the authority to provide final approval of contracts for purchases approved by the Agency Operations Committee or the full Board and to approve requests and contracts for emergency purchases. The amendments will also allow the Commissioner to delegate contract approval authority for contracts equal to or less than $5,000 or if the Commissioner will be unavailable to approve contracts for more than one business day.

No comments were received regarding amendments.

The amendments are adopted under the Texas Education Code, §61.067, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to contract and Texas Education Code §61.027 which provides the Board with the authority to adopt rules.

§1.16.Contracts for Materials and Services.

(a) The Board shall approve all requests for the purchase of materials or services if the cost for those materials or services is expected to exceed $750,000.00. After a vendor is selected, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board shall provide final approval of the contract with the selected vendor.

(b) The Agency Operations Committee shall approve all requests for the purchase of materials or services if the cost for those materials or services is greater than $100,000.00 but less than or equal to $750,000.00. After a vendor is selected, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board shall provide final approval of the contract with the selected vendor.

(c) The Commissioner shall approve all contracts for the purchase of materials or services if the contract amount is less than or equal to $100,000.00. The Commissioner may delegate his approval authority to a deputy, associate, or assistant commissioner if:

(1) The contract amount is less than or equal to $5,000; or

(2) The Commissioner will be away from the agency and unavailable to approve contracts for more than one business day.

(d) The Commissioner shall provide a report to the Agency Operations Committee, at least quarterly, describing all contracts for the purchase of materials or services.

(e) The Chair and Vice Chair of the Board shall have the authority to approve emergency purchase requests and contracts for materials or services over $100,000 that must be entered into in order to prevent a hazard to life, health, safety, welfare, property or to avoid undue additional cost to the state. Emergency purchase requests and contracts shall be exempt from subsections (a) and (b) of this section.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 29, 2007.

TRD-200700241

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 18, 2007

Proposal publication date: December 8, 2006

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114


19 TAC §1.17

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts new §1.17, concerning Agency Administration, with changes to the proposed text as published in the December 22, 2006, issue of the Texas Register (31 TexReg 10237).

Specifically, this new section will authorize the Commissioner to provide direct supervision of the Education Research Centers created by Texas Education Code, §1.005.

No comments were received regarding the new rule; however the wording educational research centers was changed to Education Research Centers to keep the wording consistent with the Texas Education Code.

The new rule is adopted under the Texas Education Code, §61.027, which gives the Coordinating Board the authority to adopt rules.

§1.17.Authority of the Commissioner to Provide Direct Supervision of the Education Research Centers.

The Board authorizes the Commissioner to provide direct supervision of the Education Research Centers created by Texas Education Code §1.005.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 29, 2007.

TRD-200700240

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 18, 2007

Proposal publication date: December 22, 2006

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114


Chapter 4. RULES APPLYING TO ALL PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN TEXAS

Subchapter A. GENERAL PROVISIONS

19 TAC §4.3

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts amendments to §4.3, concerning definitions for rules applying to all public institutions of higher education in Texas, without changes to the proposed text as published in the December 8, 2006, issue of the Texas Register (31 TexReg 9781). Specifically, these amendments will delete definitions for College Readiness Standards and Statewide College Readiness Vertical Teams and move these definitions for clarification purposes to Chapter 4, Subchapter H, concerning P-16 college readiness and success.

No comments were received concerning these amendments.

These amendments are adopted under the Texas Education Code, §28.008(c), which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules to establish the composition and duties of statewide college readiness teams.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 29, 2007.

TRD-200700239

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 18, 2007

Proposal publication date: December 8, 2006

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114


Subchapter H. P-16 COLLEGE-READINESS AND SUCCESS

19 TAC §4.171, §4.172

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts amendments to §4.171 and §4.172, concerning P-16 college readiness and success which apply to all public institutions of higher education in Texas, without changes to the proposed text as published in the December 8, 2006, issue of the Texas Register (31 TexReg 9782). Specifically, these amendments will rearrange previously adopted sections of the rules as a result of new sections proposed in a separate filing that are necessary for implementation of the applicable portions of §5.08 of House Bill 1, Third Called Session 2006.

No comments were received concerning the amendments.

The amendments are adopted under the Texas Education Code, §§28.008, 61.0761, and 61.0762, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules to develop and adopt college readiness standards, to implement the P-16 college readiness and success strategic action plan, and to establish and implement programs to enhance student success in entry-level college courses, respectively.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 29, 2007.

TRD-200700238

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 18, 2007

Proposal publication date: December 8, 2006

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114


19 TAC §4.173, §4.174

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts the repeal of §4.173 and §4.174, concerning P-16 college readiness and success which apply to all public institutions of higher education in Texas, without changes to the proposed text as published in the December 8, 2006, issue of the Texas Register (31 TexReg 9782). Specifically this repeal will rearrange previously adopted sections of the rules as a result of new sections proposed in a separate filing that are necessary for implementation of the applicable portions of §5.08 of House Bill 1, Third Called Session 2006.

No comments were received concerning the repeal.

The repeal is adopted under the Texas Education Code, §§28.008, 61.0761, and 61.0762, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules to develop and adopt college readiness standards, to implement the P-16 college readiness and success strategic action plan, and to establish and implement programs to enhance student success in entry-level college courses, respectively.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 29, 2007.

TRD-200700236

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 18, 2007

Proposal publication date: December 8, 2006

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114


19 TAC §§4.173 - 4.177

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts new §§4.173 - 4.177, concerning P-16 college readiness and success which apply to all public institutions of higher education in Texas, with changes to the proposed text as published in the December 8, 2006, issue of the Texas Register (31 TexReg 9783). Specifically, these new sections will create new definitions for use in P-16 college readiness and success, describe the purpose of the P-16 college readiness and success strategic action plan and the initiatives it supports, and establish the criteria for student participation and institutional and public school eligibility for programs to enhance student success that are necessary for implementation of the applicable portions of §5.08 of House Bill 1, Third Called Session 2006.

The following comments were received regarding the new sections:

Comment: One comment was received from staff of the Governor's Office concerning the minor revision to the definition, College Readiness Standards. The originally adopted definition stated "The knowledge and skills expected of students to perform successfully in the workplace and in entry-level courses offered at institutions of higher education." Staff attempted to give additional clarification to the definition by proposing the definition eliminate "in the workplace" and add "and in that part of the workplace requiring similar knowledge and skills" at the end of the definition. Governor's Office staff believes this clarification is more complicated than the original definition and is unnecessary.

Response: Staff agrees and recommends the original definition be adopted.

The new sections are adopted under the Texas Education Code §§28.008, 61.0761, and 61.0762, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules to develop and adopt college readiness standards, to implement the P-16 college readiness and success strategic action plan, and to establish and implement programs to enhance student success in entry-level college courses, respectively.

§4.173.Definitions.

The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) Closing the Gaps by 2015--The master plan for higher education for the state of Texas, adopted in October 2000 by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, directed at closing educational gaps within Texas, as well as between Texas and other states, and which has four goals: to close the gaps in student participation, student success, excellence, and research.

(2) College entrance assessment--The ACT and SAT or other assessments as determined by the commissioner that serve as indicators of student college readiness.

(3) College readiness assessment--The ACT PLAN and College Board Preliminary SAT or other assessments as determined by the commissioner that serve as early indicators of student college readiness.

(4) College readiness standards--The knowledge and skills expected of students to perform successfully in the workplace and in entry-level courses offered at institutions of higher education.

(5) College ready student--One who has the knowledge and skills necessary to begin entry-level college courses with a reasonable likelihood of success and does not require developmental education.

(6) Commissioner--The commissioner of higher education.

(7) Faculty--A person who is employed by an institution of higher education on a full- or part-time basis as a member of the faculty or staff and whose duties including teaching, research, administration (including professional librarians), or the performance of professional services. The term does not include a person employed in a position which is in the institution's classified personnel system, or a person employed in a similar type of position if the institution does not have a classified personnel system.

(8) Institution of higher education or institution--Any public technical institute, public junior college, public senior college or university, medical or dental unit, or other agency of higher education as defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003.

(9) Statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams--Teams composed of public school educators and higher education faculty whose duties are consistent with those provided under §28.008(b) of the Texas Education Code.

§4.174.P-16 College Readiness and Success Strategic Action Plan

(a) To increase student success and decrease the number of students enrolling in developmental course work in institutions of higher education, the board, in cooperation with the commissioner of education, shall implement the P-16 College Readiness and Success Strategic Action Plan as recommended by the statewide P-16 Council and adopted by the board pursuant to Texas Education Code, §61.0761(a).

(b) The initiatives and activities to be implemented under the P-16 College Readiness and Success Strategic Action Plan include the creation of statewide discipline-based vertical teams outlined in Texas Education Code, §28.008, and programs to enhance student success outlined in Texas Education Code, §61.0762.

§4.175.Composition and Duties of Statewide Discipline-Based College Readiness Vertical Teams.

(a) There shall be a total of four statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams: one each in English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. All teams shall be composed of a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 20 members per subject area who represent the following:

(1) All levels of public school educators;

(2) Faculty from higher education to include public junior colleges, public community colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, public senior colleges or universities, and private or independent institutions of higher education as defined in Texas Education Code, §61.003;

(3) A balance between small and large districts;

(4) Various geographic regions of the state; and

(5) Overall demographics of the state.

(b) A maximum of 60 percent of the statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams shall be composed of faculty from institutions of higher education.

(c) The statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams shall develop college readiness standards as defined in Texas Education Code, §28.008(b)(1). The teams may create an interdisciplinary vertical team composed of one public education member and one higher education member from each discipline-based college readiness vertical team to review the standards and determine commonalities among the disciplines. The statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams shall recommend the college readiness standards to the commissioner of education and the commissioner.

(d) Upon completion of the development of college readiness standards, the statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams shall develop recommendations for curriculum alignment with college readiness standards and other materials as defined in Texas Education Code, §28.008(b)(2) - (5). The teams shall be re-constituted at that time to ensure that a maximum of 60 percent of each of the re-constituted statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams shall be composed of secondary public education teachers employed full-time in Texas public school districts.

(e) In conjunction with the vertical teams, the commissioner shall appoint an advisory committee of no fewer than 12 members and no greater than 15 members that include representatives from each of the six targeted cluster industries as defined by the governor, to review and make recommendations regarding development of college readiness standards in each of the four subject matter areas.

§4.176.Appointment of Higher Education Faculty to the Statewide Discipline-Based College Readiness Vertical Teams.

(a) The commissioner shall determine the criteria for selecting faculty from institutions of higher education for appointment to the four statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams.

(b) The commissioner shall solicit recommendations for appointment from institutions of higher education and appropriate higher education organizations.

(c) Appointments by the commissioner to the statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams outlined in §4.173(a) shall be made no later than December 29, 2006.

(d) Members representing institutions of higher education on the statewide discipline-based college readiness vertical teams outlined in §4.173(a) may be removed or replaced at the discretion of the commissioner.

§4.177.Criteria for Student Participation and Institutional and Public School Eligibility for Implementing Programs to Enhance Student Success.

(a) Summer higher education bridge programs. The purpose of this program is for institutions of higher education to provide public high school students who are not college-ready with appropriate instruction and other activities during summer programs to ensure eligible students achieve college readiness.

(1) Only institutions offering summer bridge programs outlined under Texas Education Code, §61.0762, shall be subject to this subsection.

(2) Each year for which state appropriations or other funding is available, the commissioner or his/her designee shall issue a request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or other agreement for institutions to implement summer bridge programs under this subsection. The focus of these programs shall include mathematics, science, and/or English language arts for the following categories of public high school students:

(A) Exiting 12th grade students, in the summer following their senior year, who have not met the minimum passing standards for college readiness as outlined under §4.57 of this title (relating to Minimum Passing Standards) or who are not exempt from requirements of the Texas Success Initiative as outlined under §4.54 of this title (relating to Exemptions/Exceptions); or

(B) 10th and 11th grade students, in the summer following their sophomore and junior year, respectively, who have not achieved the predicted score for college readiness on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or appropriate college readiness predictors or scores on other assessments of college readiness as determined by the commissioner.

(3) Other qualifications or requirements for student participation, public school eligibility, and institutional eligibility for implementing summer bridge programs shall be outlined in the request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or other agreement.

(b) Developmental education initiatives. The purpose of this program is to provide incentive funding to institutions who commit to implementing research-based and/or innovative developmental education initiatives.

(1) Only institutions offering developmental education initiatives under Texas Education Code, §61.0762, shall be subject to this subsection.

(2) Each year for which state appropriations or other funding is available, the commissioner or his/her designee shall issue a request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or other agreement for institutions to implement developmental education initiatives under this subsection. The focus of these programs shall include mathematics, science, and/or English language arts for students who have not met the minimum passing standards for college readiness as outlined under §4.57 of this title (relating to Minimum Passing Standards) or who are not exempt from requirements of the Texas Success Initiative as outlined under §4.54 of this title (relating to Exemptions/Exceptions).

(c) Financial aid for college readiness and college entrance assessments. The purpose of this program is to obtain early assessments of college readiness and preparation of high school students.

(1) Financial aid shall be provided for each eligible high school student on an annual basis as determined by the commissioner.

(2) Each year for which state appropriations or other funding is available, the commissioner or his/her designee shall determine the college readiness and college entrance assessments that will be funded under this subsection.

(d) Professional development for higher education faculty. The purpose of this program is to provide higher education faculty with professional development programs or activities on college readiness standards and the implications of these standards on instruction.

(1) Only institutions offering professional development for faculty outlined under Texas Education Code, §61.0762, shall be subject to this subsection.

(2) Each year for which state appropriations or other funding is available, the commissioner or his/her designee shall issue a request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or other agreement for institutions to implement activities or programs of professional development for faculty under this subsection. The focus of these programs shall be limited to faculty who have responsibilities for developmental education and entry-level courses and to the knowledge and skills, reflected in the college readiness standards, that faculty can reasonably expect students to have achieved who are entering those courses from public schools.

(3) Other qualifications or requirements for institutional eligibility for implementing faculty professional development activities and programs shall be outlined in the request for proposal/application, memorandum of understanding, or agreement.

(e) Other programs that support the participation and success goals of Closing the Gaps by 2015. Additional programs may be identified by the commissioner to address the participation and success goals of Closing the Gaps by 2015. As programs are identified, qualifications and requirements for student participation and institutional or public school eligibility shall be determined by the commissioner or his/her designee.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 29, 2007.

TRD-200700237

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 18, 2007

Proposal publication date: December 8, 2006

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114


Chapter 21. STUDENT SERVICES

Subchapter X. DETERMINATION OF RESIDENT STATUS AND WAIVER PROGRAMS FOR CERTAIN NONRESIDENT PERSONS

19 TAC §§21.728, 21.730, 21.731, 21.733

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts amendments to §§21.728, 21.730, 21.731, 21.733, and Charts II, III, and IV of Board rules, concerning Determination of Resident Status and Waiver Programs for Certain Nonresident Persons, without changes to the proposed text as published in the December 8, 2006, issue of the Texas Register (31 TexReg 9786).

Specifically, the amendments to §21.728(3) removes the reference to core questions previously included as Chart II, indicates the core questions will be made available through the Texas Common Application or via the Coordinating Board web site, and indicates which core questions should be used for enrollments before and after academic year 2008 - 2009. The amendment to §21.728(9) clarifies that a student's financial need is to be calculated by comparing his or her family resources to the institution's cost of attendance. This process is relevant to three waiver programs described in §21.735 of the rules. The amendments to §21.728(17), §21.728(19), and §21.730(a)(1)(A) are intended to address a legislative public policy pronouncement regarding "nontraditional secondary education." New §21.728(17) provides a definition of "nontraditional secondary education" that encompasses home schools. The reference in §21.728(20) (formerly §21.728(19)) to a home school program not being included in the definition of a "private high school" has been deleted as unnecessary. The Legislature, in §51.9241(b) of the Texas Education Code, declared, in pertinent part, that "the State of Texas considers successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education to be equivalent to graduation from a public high school" and then proceeded to instruct institutions of higher education to treat students successfully completing such a program "according to the same general standards as other applicants for undergraduate admission who have graduated from a public high school." A student who successfully completes a course of study at the secondary school level in a home-school program can thereby be considered as having received the equivalent of a high school diploma in Texas and is therefore eligible to establish residency based on the provisions set forth in §21.730(a)(1)(A). This change brings the Board's rules into accord with Texas Education Code 54.052(a)(3)(A), which indicates that a person can meet one of the residency determinants by graduating "from a public or private high school in this state" or by receiving "the equivalent of a high school diploma in this state." Subsections 21.728(17) - (26) have been renumbered as §§21.728(18) - (27) due to the addition of new §21.728(17). The amendment to §21.730(a)(1)(A) simply adds the phrase "including the successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education" to make it clear that students following this route should also be considered to have met the aforementioned determinant of residency by virtue thereof. The amendments to §§21.731(b) and (c) reflect the removal of the core questions (Chart II) from Coordinating Board rules and the subsequent renumbering of Charts III and IV. The core questions will now be housed on the Coordinating Board's web site. The amendment to §21.733(a) reflects the removal of the core questions (Chart II) from Coordinating Board rules and the subsequent renumbering of Chart IV. Chart II (Core Residency Questions) is deleted in order to move this document and its instructions to the Coordinating Board's web site, where improvements in the wording of questions and/or instructions will not require Board approval through a formal rulemaking process every time a change is indicated. Chart III is renumbered as Chart II and Chart IV is renumbered as Chart III.

No comments were received regarding the amendments.

The amendments are adopted under the Texas Education Code, §54.075, which provides the Coordinating Board with the authority to adopt rules to carry out the purposes of Texas Education Code, §§54.0501 - 54.075.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 29, 2007.

TRD-200700233

Bill Franz

General Counsel

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Effective date: February 18, 2007

Proposal publication date: December 8, 2006

For further information, please call: (512) 427-6114