Brief Description: Improving articulation and transfer between institutions of higher education.

Sponsors: Representatives Kenney, Cox, Fromhold, Jarrett, McCoy, Berkey, Hudgins, Wood, Priest, Conway, Linville, McIntire, Benson, Rockefeller, Anderson, Lantz, Morrell, Wallace and Upthegrove.

Hearing Date: 2/4/03

Staff: Barbara McLain (786-7383).

Background:

Direct Transfer Agreement: The HECB is responsible for establishing a statewide transfer of credit policy and agreement, in cooperation with the public institutions of higher education and the SBCTC. Together, these entities have created the Direct Transfer Agreement, or DTA.

Any student who completes an approved DTA associate degree at a community college is considered to have satisfied the lower division general education requirements at a public four-year institution. These students are generally admitted as juniors when they transfer.

Most students complete a DTA associate degree before they transfer, but about 30 percent transfer before completing a degree. For these students, unless the community college has a special articulation agreement, each four-year institution makes a separate determination regarding whether the students' courses meet its general education requirements.

Transfer Associate Degrees: In the late 1990's, analysis of students' credit accumulation and graduation patterns revealed that transfer students in science, math, and other highly structured majors did not graduate as efficiently as non-transfer students. When they arrived at a four-year institution, these students needed to take additional lower division course requirements to qualify for their major.

To address this problem, the COP, the HECB, and the SBCTC convened a work group to develop a statewide Associate of Science Transfer Degree (AS-T), which was adopted in 2000. Under the AS-T, students take more math and science prerequisites while at the community college, with the objective of transferring directly into a major once they reach the four-year institution.

Currently, the work group is developing other specialized transfer associate degrees: in elementary education, secondary education for math and science teachers, and business administration. The work group has no set time line for finishing its work.

Summary of Bill:

The HECB, SBCTC, and COP must convene work groups to accomplish two initiatives related to transfer of courses between public institutions of higher education.

General Education Transfer Curriculum: By the 2004-05 academic year, a work group must identify a curriculum that will satisfy the lower division general education requirements at all public four-year institutions. A student can complete the curriculum and have all courses fully transfer, even if the student did not complete an associate degree. Courses can be taken at different two or four-year institutions. A student who completes the curriculum is not guaranteed admission to an institution or a major.

Transfer Associate Degrees: A work group develops associate degrees for particular academic majors. A student who completes one of the degrees will have met all lower division course requirements at a public four-year institution for that particular major. The student will also have completed a comparable portion of general education requirements as a non-transferring student. Completion of the transfer associate degree does not guarantee the student admission into an institution, or into a major that has competitive requirements, such as grade point average.

During 2003-04, the work group will develop degrees in: elementary education, secondary education with math or science endorsement, and business administration. Each year thereafter, the work group will develop additional degrees with a priority for majors in high demand by transfer students, or majors where the current general associate transfer degree does not adequately prepare students.

The HECB, SBCTC, and COP make biennial progress reports on the initiatives beginning December 1, 2003. The first report includes measurable indicators of improvement and baseline data. Subsequent reports monitor the indicators and provide other data on improving transfer efficiency.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 27, 2003.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.