Bill Text: TX HB1233 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to measures to encourage the earning of credentials of value at public institutions of higher education.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB1233 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB1233-Introduced.html
| 89R734 CXP-F | ||
| By: Guillen | H.B. No. 1233 | |
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| relating to measures to encourage the earning of credentials of | ||
| value at public institutions of higher education. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Sections 61.09093 and 61.09094 to read as | ||
| follows: | ||
| Sec. 61.09093. CREDENTIALS OF VALUE. (a) In this section, | ||
| "credential of value" means an industry-recognized work-based | ||
| learning credential in a high-demand, high-growth industry leading | ||
| to quality career opportunities, as determined by the Texas | ||
| Workforce Commission. | ||
| (b) The board shall encourage: | ||
| (1) completion of credentials of value in satisfaction | ||
| of certain required coursework under degree or certificate programs | ||
| offered by institutions of higher education; | ||
| (2) memoranda of understanding between institutions | ||
| of higher education that offer credentials of value; | ||
| (3) transferability of course credit, particularly | ||
| with regard to course credit leading to a credential of value; | ||
| (4) development of degree and certificate programs | ||
| that enable students to earn a degree or certificate by completing | ||
| parts of the program at different institutions of higher education; | ||
| and | ||
| (5) applicability of grant, scholarship, and other | ||
| financial aid money toward costs related to earning credentials of | ||
| value. | ||
| (c) The board shall award a successful outcomes distinction | ||
| designation to an institution of higher education if at least eight | ||
| percent of the institution's graduating class for the academic year | ||
| earns a credential of value. | ||
| (d) The board, in coordination with the Texas Workforce | ||
| Commission, shall adopt rules necessary to implement this section. | ||
| Sec. 61.09094. CREDENTIALS OF VALUE TASK FORCE. (a) In | ||
| this section, "credential of value" has the meaning assigned by | ||
| Section 61.09093. | ||
| (b) The board shall establish a task force to: | ||
| (1) study and make recommendations related to | ||
| promoting students earning credentials of value; and | ||
| (2) develop a model framework to: | ||
| (A) establish accredited degree and certificate | ||
| programs that enable students to earn a degree or certificate by | ||
| completing parts of the program at different institutions of higher | ||
| education; and | ||
| (B) enable students to: | ||
| (i) earn credit toward the completion of | ||
| degree and certificate programs described by Paragraph (A) while in | ||
| high school; | ||
| (ii) earn at least two credentials of value | ||
| in a baccalaureate degree program described by Paragraph (A); and | ||
| (iii) graduate with at least two | ||
| credentials of value and a baccalaureate degree from a program | ||
| described by Paragraph (A) in four years or less after graduating | ||
| from high school. | ||
| (c) The task force must include representatives from: | ||
| (1) a school district; | ||
| (2) a recognized accrediting agency; | ||
| (3) a general academic teaching institution; | ||
| (4) a public junior college; | ||
| (5) a public technical institute; and | ||
| (6) the Texas Workforce Commission. | ||
| (d) Not later than March 1, 2026, the task force shall | ||
| prepare and submit to the coordinating board, the Texas Education | ||
| Agency, and the legislature a preliminary report on the model | ||
| framework and any recommendations for legislative or other action. | ||
| (e) Not later than September 1, 2026, the task force shall | ||
| submit to the coordinating board, the Texas Education Agency, and | ||
| the legislature a final report on the model framework and any | ||
| recommendations for legislative or other action. | ||
| (f) The task force is abolished and this section expires | ||
| September 1, 2027. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 61.09093, Education Code, as added by | ||
| this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
