Trial Engrossment of Amendment A01097 to House Bill 0897 P.N. 0895, Regular Session 2023-2024

A01097

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

897

Session of

2023

INTRODUCED BY KINKEAD, ISAACSON, CIRESI, MADDEN, McANDREW,

WARREN, SIEGEL, SANCHEZ, MALAGARI, HILL-EVANS, PARKER, ROZZI,

CONKLIN AND NEILSON, APRIL 17, 2023

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 17, 2023

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 and for duties of public institutions of higher

education, providing for guaranteed admission, for

articulation agreements, for reports to General Assembly and

for dispute resolution and further providing for Transfer and

Articulation Oversight Committee, for duties of department

and for applicability.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 2002-C(c)(1) of the act of March 10, 1949

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

amended to read:

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, is

amended by adding definitions 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:

* * *

"Parallel baccalaureate degree program." A bachelor's degree

program in a comparable field of study and with similar

foundation-level, major-specific competencies as an associate

degree program, as articulated in program-to-program agreements.

* * *

"Receiving institution." The public institution of higher

education where a transfer student plans to enroll and to apply

previously earned credit toward a degree program.

* * *

Section 2. Section 2002-C(c)(1) of the act is amended to

read:

Section 2002-C. Duties of public institutions of higher

education.

* * *

education shall do all of the following:

(1) Agree to accept with full junior standing the

associate of arts or associate of science degree [into a] and

to apply all college-level credits earned to fulfill the

degree requirements at the community college public

institution of higher education , including major requirements

and general education requirements, toward the parallel

baccalaureate degree program as outlined in paragraph (3) [by

the timelines established by the Transfer and Articulation

Oversight Committee but] no later than December 31, [2011]

2023. For purposes of this paragraph, an associate of arts or

associate of science degree is a degree designed primarily

A01097 - 2 -

for transfer to a baccalaureate institution and must contain

a minimum of 60 credits. The following shall apply:

(i) A student transferring between public

institutions of higher education with an associate of

arts or associate of science degree from a public

institution of higher education who is transferring into

a parallel baccalaureate degree program at another public

institution of higher education shall be awarded full

junior standing and shall not be required to

satisfactorily complete more than 60 credits to earn a

120 credit baccalaureate degree in a parallel program,

regardless of the courses the student took to earn the

associate degree prior to transferring .

(ii) A student shall have the same requirements for

admission to a particular academic program at a public

institution of higher education and for retention as a

student who began education at that public institution of

higher education. , unless required to meet accreditation

or external licensure or certification standards.

(ii) A student transferring from one public

institution of higher education to another public

institution of higher education shall have the same

requirements for admission to a particular academic

program and for retention as a student who began their

postsecondary education at the receiving institution.

(iii) A student transferring to a into a parallel

baccalaureate degree program with an associate of science

or associate of arts degree in a parallel academic

program shall be guaranteed admission to the parallel

academic baccalaureate degree program, subject to

A01097 - 3 -

capacity, as long as the student meets the criteria for

admission required of students who began their education

at a State System university the receiving institution .

(iv) A university public institution of higher

education may designate majors or programs of study that

are limited access by reason of accreditation, clinical

or resource-based capacity.

(v) A student transferring from a public institution

of higher education with an associate of arts or

associate of science degree or who has completed 30

credits of foundation courses, as defined by the Transfer

and Articulation Oversight Committee, shall have

satisfied the general education requirements at the

receiving institution, with possible exceptions made for

the following, provided that the exceptions do not extend

the student's time to the degree:

(A) One signature general education course of up

to three credits, if applicable.

(B) A prescribed general education course

required for the major, if not satisfactorily

completed.

advanced courses in the major.

* * *

Section 2 3. The act is amended by adding sections to read:

Section 2003.1-C. Guaranteed admission.

An A public institution of higher education shall ensure the

following:

(1) An undergraduate student transferring from a public

community college with an associate of arts or associate of

A01097 - 4 -

science degree shall be guaranteed admission into the

parallel baccalaureate degree program at an a public

institution of higher education except in programs that have

mandated admission requirements, including , but not limited

to :

(i) A program for teacher preparation.

(ii) A program requiring an audition.

(iii) A program with GPA requirements.

(iv) A program with additional entrance requirements

imposed by an accreditor.

(2) Undergraduate Starting with the 2024 spring

semester, undergraduate students from a community college in

this Commonwealth with an associate degree who fulfill the

requirements of paragraph (1) shall receive priority for

admission to the enrollment in upper division of a State

System of Higher Education or State-related university

program coursework at the receiving institution over out-of-

State students.

Section 2003.2-C. Articulation agreements.

(a) Agreements.--Any agreements between community colleges

and institutions of higher education shall ensure the following:

(1) For the purpose of transferring credits between a

community college and a public institution of higher

education, no articulation agreements under this article

shall be required. Those portions of articulation agreements

which place requirements on students or community colleges

above those required by this article shall no longer be

valid.

(2) For the purpose of accepting students from a

community college with at least 60 credits as a student with

A01097 - 5 -

junior standing to a public institution of higher education,

no articulation agreements under this section shall be

required. Those portions of articulation agreements which

place requirements on students or community colleges above

those required by this article shall no longer be valid.

(b) Validity.--The provisions of section 2007-C shall not

apply to this section.

Section 2003.3-C. Reports to General Assembly.

For each academic year, the department shall prescribe data

requirements to be submitted by a public institution of higher

education and report to the General Assembly the following:

(1) Details of the progress made by an a public

institution of higher education and an institution that

elects to participate under section 2006-C in furtherance of

enabling the transfer of credits between institutions, and

which recommends further action to be taken to ensure all

students which have completed credits in community colleges,

shall be able to transfer those credits to an institution of

higher education.

(2) Details of the ability of a student to transfer from

community colleges to institutions of higher education,

including the ability of students to graduate from

institutions of higher education. The report under this

section shall annually identify any issues encountered by

students in transferring from community colleges to

institutions of higher education, as well as issues

encountered by transfer students in graduating from

institutions of higher education.

(3) Any other information related to student transfer,

awarding of credit for prior learning or difficulties in the

A01097 - 6 -

ability of a student to transfer between public institutions

of higher education.

Section 2003.4-C 2003.3-C . Dispute resolution.

The department shall establish and maintain a dispute

resolution committee for disputes arising over the acceptance of

transfer students and credits. The dispute resolution committee

shall:

(1) Be composed of the following membership:

(i) The Secretary of Education or a designee, who

shall serve as chair of the dispute resolution committee.

(ii) Three members representing community colleges.

(iii) Three members representing the State System of

Higher Education.

(iv) One member representing State-related

institutions.

(v) One member representing independent institutions

of higher education that have elected to participate

under section 2006-C.

(vi) Other members as appointed by the chair of the

committee to the dispute resolution committee.

(2) Continue to develop dispute resolution policies and

procedures to be utilized when disputes arise relating to the

transfer and application of credits under this article.

(3) Resolve disputes involving disagreement over the

transfer or award of credits or the placement of students

between community colleges and institutions of higher

education.

(4) Resolve appeals from students transferring from

community colleges who have been denied acceptance to an

institution of higher education after the completion of an

A01097 - 7 -

associate degree at a community college or who have been

denied the acceptance of college-level credits completed at a

community college.

(5) Report decisions regarding dispute resolutions and

appeals as well as the dispute resolution committee's reasons

for those decisions. Reports under this paragraph shall be

provided regularly to institutions of higher education and

community colleges to inform the application of the

articulation process.

Section 3 4. Sections 2004-C(b) and (c)(5), 2005-C(4)(ii)

and 2007-C of the act are amended to read:

Section 2004-C. Transfer and Articulation Oversight Committee.

* * *

[(b) Dispute resolution subcommittee.--

(1) The chair of the committee shall appoint a dispute

resolution subcommittee comprised of:

(i) Three members appointed under subsection (a)(1)

(ii)(A).

(ii) Three members appointed under subsection (a)(1)

(ii)(B).

(iii) One member appointed under subsection (a)(1)

(ii)(D).

(2) The chair of the committee may add members to the

dispute resolution subcommittee.

(3) The dispute resolution subcommittee shall develop

dispute resolution policies and procedures to be utilized

when disputes arise relating to the transfer and application

of credits under this article.]

Committee.--The committee shall:

A01097 - 8 -

* * *

[(5) Submit an annual report to the General Assembly

that details the progress made by the public institutions of

higher education and institutions that elect to participate

under section 2006-C in furtherance of enabling the transfer

of credits between such institutions and which recommends

further action to be taken.]

* * *

Section 2005-C. Duties of department.

The department shall:

* * *

(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:

* * *

(ii) The annual report to the General Assembly as

required by section [2004-C(c)(5)] 2003.2-C.

Section 2007-C. Applicability.

[Nothing] Except as otherwise provided, nothing in this

article shall [do any of the following]:

(1) Preclude any institution of higher education from

establishing institution-to-institution articulation

agreements.

(2) Void articulation agreements that have been

established prior to the effective date of this section.

Section 4 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

A01097 - 9 -