1Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An 
2act relating to the public school system, including certain 
3provisions applicable as well to private and parochial 
4schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the 
5laws relating thereto," in transfers of credits between
6institutions of higher education, <-providing for advanced 
7placement exam scores articulation for college credit <-further 
8providing for definitions, for duties of public institutions 
9of higher education and for transfer and articulation 
10oversight committee.

11The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
12hereby enacts as follows:

<-13Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
14as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
15section to read:

16Section 2008-C. Advanced placement exam scores articulation for
17college credit.

18(a) Award.--A postsecondary student who has obtained an
19advanced placement exam score of at least three shall be awarded
20comparable or aligned college course credits toward satisfying

1degree requirements for graduation at a public institution of
2higher education. An independent and State-related institution
3may accept advanced placement exam scores as described under
4this subsection.

5(b) Credits.--

6(1) If an equivalent or aligned course under subsection
7(a) is not available at a public institution of higher
8education, an elective or area credit must be awarded in the
9appropriate academic discipline and must be applied toward
10graduation if the elective credit option exists within the
11academic major.

12(2) A public institution of higher education may not
13require students who are awarded college course credits under
14paragraph (1) to obtain additional college course credits
15toward satisfying degree requirements for graduation.

16(c) Consistency.--There shall be consistency across
17institutions of higher education for those public institutions
18of higher education required to participate and those
19independent institutions of higher education that elect to
20participate in the articulation program.

21(d) Report.--A public institution of higher education shall
22report to the department all of the following:

23(1) Number of students admitted who took advanced
24placement courses in high school.

25(2) Total number of credits awarded based on advanced
26placement exam scores.

27(3) Number of credits awarded per matriculating advanced
28placement students based on advanced placement courses taken.

29(4) Number of credits awarded to matriculating advanced
30placement students toward major.

1(5) Number of credits awarded to matriculating advanced
2placement students toward electives.

3(e) Information and assistance.--Information provided under
4subsection (d) shall be reported by the department to the
5chairman of the Education Committee of the Senate and to the
6chairman of the Education Committee of the House of
7Representatives.

8(f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the term
9"advanced placement course" means a high school-level
10preparatory course for a college advanced placement test that:

11(1) incorporates all topics specified by the college
12board on its standard syllabus for a given subject area; and

13(2) is authorized by the college board.

<-14Section 1. Section 2001-C of act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, 
15No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by 
16adding definitions to read:

17Section 2001-C. Definitions.

18The following words and phrases when used in this article
19shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
20context clearly indicates otherwise:

21"Advanced Placement program (AP)." A program authorized by
22the college board that allows a student to study college-level
23subjects while enrolled in high school and to receive advanced
24placement and college credit for earning a qualified score on
25the course-related Advanced Placement exam.

26* * *

27"College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)." A set of 
28standardized tests developed by the college board for various 
29subjects, and on which a qualifying score can be used to earn 
30college credit.

1* * *

2"Credit for prior learning." College-level credit granted
3toward the award of a postsecondary degree or certificate for
4experiential learning that can be demonstrated through various
5means of assessment to be the equivalent of learning gained
6through formal collegiate instruction, including an Advanced
7Placement exam, International Baccalaureate exam and a College-
8Level Examination Program exam.

9* * *

10"International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB)." An
11academically challenging two-year pre-college diploma program
12comprised of three core requirements and six academic subject
13areas with final examinations that prepare students, 16 to 19
14years of age, for higher education and life in a global society.

15* * *

16Section 2. Section 2002-C of the act is amended by adding a
17subsection to read:

18Section 2002-C. Duties of public institutions of higher
19education.

20* * *

21(d) Credit for prior learning.--Each public institution of
22higher education shall do all of the following:

23(1) Adopt and make public uniform standards for
24determining academic credit for prior learning as outlined in
25paragraph (4) no later than July 1, 2015.

26(2) Agree to award academic credit for prior learning,
27which is determined to meet the standards established under
282004-C(c)(6) and apply the credit toward graduation, unless
29prohibited by external accreditation or licensure.

30(3) Submit to the department interim reports outlining

1the actions that a public institution of higher education has
2undertaken or intends to undertake to comply with paragraphs
3(1) and (2).

4(4) As a member of the Transfer and Articulation
5Oversight Committee established in section 2004-C:

6(i) Consult with the department on a process and
7timeline, subject to approval by the department, to
8develop uniform standards for determining academic credit
9for prior learning, in consultation with faculty and
10personnel.

11(ii) Develop and implement uniform standards for
12determining academic credit for prior learning, in
13consultation with faculty and personnel.

14(iii) Participate in submitting a status report to
15the department, the Education Committee of the Senate and
16the Education Committee of the House of Representatives.

17(5) For each academic year, report to the department all
18of the following:

19(i) The total number of students awarded credits for
20Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and 
21College-Level Examination Program exams, if available.

22(ii) The total number of credits awarded to students
23for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and 
24College-Level Examination Program exams, if available.

25(iii) The number of credits awarded to matriculating
26students who present Advanced Placement, International 
27Baccalaureate and College-Level Examination Program exams
28that meet the standards established under 2004-C(c)(6)
29and, of those credits, the number of credits applied
30toward major requirements and the number of credits

1applied toward elective requirements.

2(iv) Any other information related to awarding of
3credit for prior learning as requested by the department
4or the Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee,
5including the usability of transfer credits.

6Section 3. Section 2004-C(c) of the act is amended by adding
7a paragraph to read:

8Section 2004-C. Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee.

9* * *

10(c) Duties of Transfer and Articulation Oversight
11Committee.--The committee shall:

12* * *

13(6) Within one year of the effective date of this
14paragraph, develop and implement uniform standards for
15awarding academic credit for prior learning, in consultation
16with faculty and personnel for public institutions of higher
17education and institutions that elect to participate under
18section 2006-C.

19Section <-2 4. This act shall take effect immediately.