SECTION 4.86. Optional Dual Credit or Dual Enrollment Program: College Connect Courses

(a) Authority. These rules are authorized by Texas Education Code §§28.009(b), 130.001(b)(3) - (4), and 130.008.

(b) Purpose. The purpose of this rule is to encourage and authorize public institutions of higher education to deliver innovatively designed dual credit or dual enrollment courses that integrate both college-level content in the core curriculum of the institution alongside college-readiness content and skills instruction. These innovatively designed courses will allow students the maximum flexibility to obtain college credit and provide integrated college readiness skills to students who are on the continuum of college readiness and will benefit from exposure to college-level content.

(c) Student eligibility. An eligible student must be enrolled in a public school district or open-enrollment charter as defined in Texas Education Code §5.001(6). An institution of higher education may offer College Connect Courses to:

(1) A student who has met the college readiness standards set forth in subchapter C, §4.57 of this chapter (relating to College Ready Standards); or

(2) A student who has not yet demonstrated college readiness by achieving minimum passing standards set forth in §4.57 of this chapter, if the student is:

(A) a non-degree-seeking or non-certificate seeking student under Texas Education Code §51.338(a); and

(B) has earned not more than 14 semester credit hours of college credits at an institution of higher education; or

(C) a student who is otherwise exempt from the Texas Success Initiative, as set forth in subchapter C, §4.54 of this chapter (relating to Exemptions, Exceptions, and Waivers).

(d) An institution may add eligibility requirements for students qualifying under subsection (c)(2)(A) and (B) of this section.

(e) Course content. The following standards apply to delivery of College Connect Courses offered under this rule:

(1) An institution of higher education may offer College Connect Courses within the institution's core curriculum in accordance with subchapter B, §4.28 of this chapter (relating to Core Curriculum).

(2) An institution of higher education must also incorporate supplemental college readiness content to support students who have not yet demonstrated college readiness as defined in §4.57 of this chapter within these courses. An institution may deliver this supplemental instruction through a method at their discretion, including through embedded course content, supplemental corequisite coursework, or other method.

(f) Coordinating Board staff may provide technical assistance to public institutions of higher education and secondary schools and districts in developing and providing these courses.

(g) Additional Academic Policies.

(1) College Connect Courses offered through dual credit or dual enrollment must confer both a college-level grade and a secondary-level grade upon a student's successful completion of the course. A grade conferred for the college-level course may be different from the secondary-level grade, to reflect whether a student has appropriately demonstrated college-level knowledge and skills as well as secondary-level knowledge and skills. An institution may determine how a student enrolled in this course may earn college credit, whether through college-level course completion or successful completion of a recognized college-level assessment.

(2) An institution of higher education must enter into an institutional agreement with the secondary school according to §4.84 of this chapter (relating to Institutional Agreements) to offer College Connect Courses.

(3) An institution of higher education is strongly encouraged to provide the maximum latitude possible for a student to withdraw from the college-level course component beyond the census date, while still giving the student an opportunity to earn credit toward high school graduation requirements.

(4) Hours earned through this program before the student graduates from high school that are used to satisfy high school graduation requirements do not count against the limitation on formula funding for excess semester credit hours under chapter 13, subchapter F, §13.104 of this title (relating to Exemptions for Excess Hours).

(h) Funding and Tuition. For College Connect Courses offered through dual credit under this option:

(1) An institution of higher education may receive formula funding for College Connect Course semester credit hours in accordance with Texas Education Code §61.059 and chapter 130, subchapter A, and any Coordinating Board rules that authorize funding for courses offered under this section.

(2) An institution of higher education may waive a student's tuition for College Connect Courses in accordance with Texas Education Code §§54.216 and 28.0095.

Source Note: The provisions of this §4.86 adopted to be effective September 12, 2023, 48 TexReg 5065