H.B. No. 1868 proposes a study to evaluate changes to performance tier funding for dual credit or dual enrollment courses within the public junior college state finance program. The bill introduces a new section, 130A.1011, to the Education Code, which mandates the coordinating board to assess the feasibility and implications of reducing the required semester credit hours for these courses from the current standard to nine. The study will also examine the potential benefits for students, such as alignment with public school accountability systems, reduced time and cost for obtaining undergraduate degrees, and a comparison of completion rates between different credit hour sequences.

Additionally, the bill requires an analysis of the current and projected capacity of the state's workforce to teach dual credit or dual enrollment courses. This includes estimating the number of eligible instructors, identifying barriers to certification, and proposing strategies to increase the number of qualified instructors. The coordinating board is tasked with consulting relevant educational agencies and institutions during the study, and it must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2026. The section will expire on September 1, 2027, unless further action is taken.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()
House Committee Report: ()