HBA-BSM S.B. 1186 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1186
By: Shapleigh
Higher Education
4/29/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, there is no central clearinghouse that provides a simple, yet
comprehensive profile of all of the institutions of higher education in
Texas.  Students and parents who seek indicators of the strengths and
weaknesses of the various public universities in Texas must compile the
information from a variety of sources.  Senate Bill 1186 requires the Texas
Higher Education Coordinating Board (board) to create and post a report on
the board's Internet website that lists all public universities in the
state and each university's corresponding performance on each of 17
measures.  

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

Senate Bill 1186 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board (board) to develop and implement a program to
publish performance data provided to the board by general academic teaching
institutions.  The bill requires a general academic teaching institution,
not later than November 1 following the completion of an academic year, to
provide to the board reports containing the required performance data
following the completion of an academic year.  The bill provides that the
reports collectively must contain data related to the qualifications of the
entering class for the academic year covered by the report, student
performance, and institution efficiency.  The bill requires the board to
publish each year in a grid format and to post on the board's Internet site
the names of the general academic teaching institutions, the required
performance data, and any other information considered appropriate by the
board.   The bill also requires the board to use the classification system
developed by the Carnegie Foundation in publishing and posting the
information. Each general academic teaching institution is required to
provide a link on the institution's Internet home page to the board's
Internet site.  The bill provides that a general academic teaching
institution is not required to report to the board the performance data if
the data is available to the board from another source.  

Not later than March 1, 2003, the board is required to publish and post on
the board's Internet site the performance data provided by the general
academic teaching institutions. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.  The Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002 academic
year.