HBA-JLV C.S.H.B. 2775 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2775
By: Deshotel
Higher Education
4/16/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) was created in 1987 as an
instructional program designed to ensure that students attending public
institutions of higher education (institution) in Texas have the academic
skills necessary to perform effectively in college-level work.  Students
not yet proficient in an academic area are required to participate in
developmental education activities.  Institutions have recently asked for
more flexibility in applying TASP rules to their students.  The
institutions expressed concern that different students have different needs
and the institutions would prefer to address those needs in alternative
ways than current TASP rules allow.  The TASP test often proves burdensome
for students who graduated from a public or an accredited private high
school before successful completion of the TASP test was a requirement of
all students to enroll in an institution.  C.S.H.B. 2775 provides an
exemption from the TASP test for students who have graduated from a public
or an accredited private high school at least 10 years before the date of
the student's enrollment at an institution. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2775 amends the Education Code to provide that a student is exempt
from the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test if the student graduated
from a public or an accredited private high school at least 10 years before
the date of the student's enrollment at an institution of higher education
(institution). A student is authorized to voluntarily take the TASP test.
Unless a student's TASP test results indicate that developmental education
is not necessary or a student is exempt from taking the TASP test, the
institution shall require the student to successfully complete
developmental courses or other developmental programs, but may not require
the student on successful completion of those courses or programs to take
the TASP test.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2775 modifies the original to expand the exemption of  a student
from the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) test to a student who has
graduated from an accredited private high school in this state or a public
or private high school outside this state at least 10 years before the date
of the student's enrollment at an institution of higher education
(institution).  The substitute authorizes a student to voluntarily take the
TASP test.  The substitute requires, rather than authorizes, an institution
to require a student to successfully complete developmental courses or
other developmental programs, unless the student's TASP test results
indicate that developmental education is not necessary or the student is
exempt from taking the TASP test.