Relating to the transfer of students in public higher education and to transparency regarding certificate or degree program requirements.

BILL ANALYSIS

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 3039 is a continuation of S.B. 25 from a previous session, which addresses major gaps between high school, community college, and college.����������

S.B. 3039 makes a number of language clean up amendments as well as creating new requirements that will help lawmakers and policymakers better understand how institutions are handling transfers. Specifically, this bill will require each institution to:

� Detail its goals to increase the number, success, and persistence of students who transfer to the institution from a junior college;��
� Assess its institutional, academic, and technical pathways;��
� Identify existing barrier to transferring to the institution;�����
� Identify emerging issues for students transferring to the institution; and��
� Detail the institution's actions to serve current and prospective transfer students through local and community articulation agreements.�������������������

Additionally, the bill has reporting requirements. These include reporting comprehensive analyses of the institution's performance data, including application and admission rates, financial aid awarded, time-to-degree, baccalaureate and more. Furthermore, the bill will require a publication of information of a denial of transfer credit.������

Each institution will be required to maintain, on its website, information including the five majors or degrees with the highest number of courses for which academic credit is denied or not applied.

Also, each institution will be required to report five courses for each major or degree for which academic credit is most frequently denied because the credit does not apply to that major. �������

Finally, this bill makes transformative changes to higher education in this state by requiring each institution of higher education to designate a transfer liaison using existing resources.����

As proposed, S.B. 3039 amends current law relating to the transfer of students in public higher education.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 (Sections 51.4033 and 51.4034, Education Code), SECTION 2 (Section 51.4035, Education Code), and SECTION 3 (Section 61.8231, Education Code) of this bill.�

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 51.4033 and 51.4034, Education Code, as follows:

Sec. 51.4033. New heading: TRANSFER REPORT. (a) Requires each general academic teaching institution, not later than May 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating board (THECB), to provide to THECB and the legislature a report that:

(1) describes any courses in the Lower-Division Academic Course Guide Manual or its successor adopted by THECB for which a student who transfers to the institution from another institution of higher education is not granted certain credits;

(2) details the institution's goals to increase the number, success, and persistence, as measured by THECB, of students who transfer to the institution from a public junior college;

(3) assesses the institution's academic and technical transfer pathways;

(4) identifies any existing barriers to transferring to the institution and emerging issues affecting transfer students at the institution;

(5) details the institution's actions to serve current and prospective transfer students through local and regional articulation agreements that include certain elements; and

(6) contains any other information relating to the transfer of academic credit to the institution required by THECB rule.

Makes nonsubstantive changes to this subsection.

(b) Requires that a report required by this section indicate for each course described by Subsection (a)(1):

(1)� the course name, type, and common course number;

(2)� the name of the institution of higher education or other postsecondary educational institution at which the student completed the course and the institution of higher education that awarded or transcribed, rather than provided, academic credit for the course; and

(3) makes no changes to this subdivision.

Makes nonsubstantive changes to this subsection.

(c) Requires THECB, not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, to submit to the governor, the Legislative Budget Board, the house appropriations committee, and the senate finance committee a report that evaluates actions to increase the number, success, and persistence of students who transfer to a general academic teaching institution from a public junior college. Requires that the report include:

(1) a comparative analysis of institution reports and performance data, including application and admission rates, financial aid awarded, time-to-degree, and baccalaureate graduation rates of students, including transfer students, by program completion at public junior colleges and general academic teaching institutions during the preceding academic year;

(2) a study of public junior college transfer practices; and

(3) recommendations for legislative or other action to meet the transfer student-related goals of the state's master plan for higher education developed under Section 61.051 (Coordination of Institutions of Public Higher Education).

(d) Authorizes THECB to adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

Sec. 51.4034.� New heading: REPORT OF COURSES TAKEN AT PUBLIC JUNIOR COLLEGES. (a) Requires each public junior college, not later than May 1 of each year and in the form prescribed by THECB, to provide to THECB and the legislature a report on courses taken by students who, during the preceding academic year, transferred to a general academic teaching institution, completed a field of study curriculum, or earned an associate degree at the college.

(b) Requires that a report required by this section include certain information, including any other relevant information required by THECB rule. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(c) Authorizes THECB to adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Section 51.4035, as follows:

Sec. 51.4035. PUBLICATION OF INFORMATION REGARDING DENIAL OF TRANSFER CREDIT. (a) Requires each institution of higher education to maintain on the admissions page of the institution's Internet website a list of:

(1) the five majors or degree or certificate programs offered by the institution with the highest number of courses for which academic credit is denied or not applied toward the major or program; and

(2) the five courses for each major or degree or certificate program described by Subdivision (1) for which academic credit is most frequently denied because the credit is not applicable toward the major or program.

(b) Requires THECB annually to provide to each institution of higher education a list of the courses described by Subsection (a)(2).

(c) Authorizes THECB to adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 3. Amends Subchapter S, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Section 61.8231, as follows:

Sec. 61.8231. TRANSFER LIAISON. (a) Requires each institution of higher education, using existing resources, to designate at least one employee of the institution to serve as a single point of contact for other institutions of higher education and THECB regarding transfer issues and to act as a liaison officer for current or incoming students at the institution who will transfer into or out of the institution.

(b) Requires an institution of higher education's transfer liaison, on a transfer or request to transfer to or from an institution, to provide a current, former, or prospective student, as applicable, with certain information.

(c) Requires a receiving institution of higher education's transfer liaison, on the admission of a transfer student, to assist the student in obtaining a degree audit to determine whether the student's completed coursework satisfies the institution's core curriculum, satisfies a field of study curriculum of the institution, or qualifies the student to be awarded a Texas Direct associate degree under Section 61.834 (Texas Direct Associate Degree) or any other degree or certificate offered by the institution.

(d) Requires THECB to adopt rules necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 4. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2025�2026 academic year.

SECTION 5. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.