Regular Session 2017-2018 House Bill 2159 P.N. 4145

SENATE AMENDED

PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 3279

PRINTER'S NO. 4145

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

2159

Session of

2018

INTRODUCED BY STAATS, QUIGLEY, LEWIS, PICKETT, IRVIN, ROEBUCK,

MULLERY, McGINNIS, SCHLOSSBERG, MURT, CHARLTON, B. O'NEILL,

WARD, B. MILLER, PHILLIPS-HILL, BARBIN, PASHINSKI, DERMODY,

HEFFLEY, J. McNEILL, CUTLER, GROVE, HANNA, D. MILLER, SAYLOR,

JOZWIAK, CORR, RAPP, THOMAS, DAY, TOOHIL, COX, JAMES,

M. QUINN, MILLARD, GOODMAN, ENGLISH, ROTHMAN, MICCARELLI,

DUSH AND WATSON, APRIL 6, 2018

SENATOR EICHELBERGER, EDUCATION, IN SENATE, AS AMENDED,

OCTOBER 2, 2018

AN ACT

Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An

act relating to the public school system, including certain

provisions applicable as well to private and parochial

schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the

laws relating thereto," in transfers of credits between

institutions of higher education, further providing for

definitions, for duties of public institutions of higher

education and State-related institutions, for Transfer and

Articulation Oversight Committee and for duties of

department.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 2001-C of the act of March 10, 1949

(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949,

amended November 6, 2017 (P.L.1142, No.55), is amended to read:

Section 2001-C. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article

shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Advanced Placement Program." A program authorized by the

college board that allows a student to study college-level

subjects while enrolled in high school and to receive advanced

placement and college credit for earning a qualified score on

the course-related Advanced Placement Program exam.

"Career, technical or applied courses." Courses usually

offered as part of an associate degree curriculum designed to

prepare students for entry-level professions, not for transfer

to baccalaureate programs for advanced studies.

"College-Level Examination Program." A set of standardized

tests developed by the college board for various subjects, and

on which a qualifying score can be used to earn college credit.

"Community college." An institution created pursuant to

Article XIX-A or the act of August 24, 1963 (P.L.1132, No.484),

known as the Community College Act of 1963.

"Credit for prior learning." College-level credit granted

toward the award of a postsecondary degree or certificate for

experiential learning that can be demonstrated through various

means of assessment to be the equivalent of learning gained

through formal collegiate instruction, including an Advanced

Placement Program exam, International Baccalaureate Diploma

Program exam, a College-Level Examination Program exam and

Dantes Subject Standardized Tests.

"Dantes Subject Standardized Tests." A set of subject exams

approved by the American Council on Education that tests

knowledge of both lower-level and upper-level college material.

["Degree objective courses." Courses required for completion

of a major in a subject area.]

"Department." The Department of Education of the

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Commonwealth.

"Developmental or remedial courses." Courses typically

consisting of reading, writing and math designed to prepare

students for college-level courses and that are not

transferable.

"Equivalent courses." Courses determined to have generally

equivalent content and level as determined by the faculty of an

institution of higher education consistent with the policy at

each institution of higher education.

"Foundation courses." Courses required to be completed by

students that provide an academic foundation for the degree,

general education or advanced study in a major.

"Independent institution of higher education." An

institution of higher education which is operated not for

profit, located in and incorporated or chartered by the

Commonwealth and entitled to confer degrees as set forth in 24

Pa.C.S. § 6505 (relating to power to confer degrees) and to

apply to itself the designation "college" or "university" as

provided for by the standards and qualifications prescribed by

the State Board of Education pursuant to 24 Pa.C.S. Ch. 65

(relating to private colleges, universities and seminaries).

"Industry-recognized credential." A credential that:

(1) is sought or accepted by employers within the

industry or sector involved as a recognized, preferred or

required credential for recruitment, screening, hiring,

retention or advancement purposes;

(2) where appropriate, is endorsed by a nationally

recognized trade association or organization representing a

significant part of the industry or sector; and

(3) is approved by the department.

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"Institution of higher education." Any of the accredited

following:

(1) A public institution of higher education.

(2) A rural regional college.

(3) A State-related institution.

(4) The Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.

"International Baccalaureate Diploma Program." An

academically challenging two-year precollege diploma program

comprised of three core requirements and six academic subject

areas with final examinations that prepare students, 16 to 19

years of age, for higher education and life in a global society.

"Public institution of higher education." A community

college or an institution which is part of the State System of

Higher Education pursuant to Article XX-A.

"Public school." Any of the following:

(1) A school district.

(2) An intermediate unit.

(3) An area vocational-technical school.

(4) A charter school, as defined in section 1703-A.

(5) A regional charter school, as defined in section

1703-A.

(6) A cyber charter school, as defined in section 1703-

"Rural regional college." A rural regional college operating

under Article XIX-G.

"State-related institution." The Pennsylvania State

University, the University of Pittsburgh, Temple University,

Lincoln University and their branch campuses.

"Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee." The

committee established under section 2004-C.

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Section 2. Section 2003-C of the act is amended to read:

Section 2003-C. Duties of [public] institutions of higher

education and [State-related institutions] public

schools.

(a) Agreements.--Each [public] institution of higher

education and [State-related institution] public school shall

provide the Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee and

the department with copies of all articulation agreements for

inclusion in the electronic database or software program and

portal provided for under section 2005-C(4) within 180 days of

the effective date of this section and within 30 days of

entering into any subsequent articulation agreement.

(b) Reporting requirements.--The following shall apply to

reporting requirements:

(1) Each [public] institution of higher education [and

State-related institution] shall submit to the department a

series of interim reports that describe the status of the

institution's articulation agreements, which shall include

all of the following:

(i) The number of students who have transferred to

the [public] institution of higher education [or State-

related institution] by institution of origin within the

last academic year or since submittal of the

institution's last interim report required under this

section.

(ii) The total number of credits completed by

transfer students at the institution of origin.

(iii) The total number of credits from each

institution of origin that transferred to the [public]

institution of higher education [or State-related

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institution] for each academic year.

(iv) An explanation of the credit transfer process

at the institution.

(v) Any other information related to the credit

transfer process as requested by the department,

including the useability of transfer credits.

(2) Each [public] institution of higher education [and

State-related institution] shall submit its first interim

report required under this section 180 days after the

effective date of this section and by September 30 , 2018, and

each September 30 OF EACH YEAR thereafter .

Section 3. Section 2004-C(a)(1) introductory paragraph is

amended and subsection (c) is amended by adding a paragraph to

read:

Section 2004-C. Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee.

(a) Establishment and membership.--

(1) In order to develop and implement equivalency

standards as provided for in subsection (c)(1) and provide

access to articulation agreements, there is hereby

established within the department, the Transfer and

Articulation Oversight Committee. The committee shall be

comprised of the following members:

* * *

Committee.--The committee shall:

* * *

(7) Meet on a regular basis at least quarterly.

Section 4. Section 2005-C(4) of the act is amended to read:

Section 2005-C. Duties of department.

The department shall:

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<--

* * *

(4) Provide for an electronic database or software

program and portal for the purpose of providing access to all

of the following information on an Internet website:

(i) Articulation agreements and agreements that

award credit for an industry-recognized credential

entered into by [public institutions of higher education

and institutions that elect to participate under section

2006-C.] institutions of higher education, public schools

and institutions described under clause (C). The

following shall apply:

(A) The department shall extract transfer

information from each articulation agreement and each

agreement that awards credit for an industry-

recognized credential and enter the information into

the electronic database or software program and

portal and provide a meaningful, user-friendly and

interactive search engine for access to the

information.

(B) The department shall, within 60 days of

receiving an articulation agreement or agreement that

awards credit for an industry-recognized credential ,

update the database and post each articulation

agreement and each agreement that awards credit for

an industry-recognized credential on its publicly

accessible Internet website.

duties under section 2003-C may submit to the

department any articulation agreement or agreement

that awards credit for an industry-recognized

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credential into which the institution enters. Each

submitted articulation agreement and each agreement

that awards credit for an industry-recognized

credential shall be subject to this paragraph.

(ii) The annual report to the General Assembly as

required by section 2004-C(c)(5).

[(iii) At the request of a public institution of

higher education or an institution that elects to

participate under section 2006-C, any articulation

agreements.]

Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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