SECTION 1.  Clause (s) of paragraph 1 of section 9 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2008 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line119, the following words:-  The council shall also engage in coordinated and collaborative research projects with other state entities, including but not limited to the department of early education and care, the department of elementary and secondary education, and the department of workforce development, in order to support the development of policies that enhance successful transitions from early childhood through entry into the workforce.

SECTION 2. Section 9 of chapter 15A of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after clause(gg), at the end of the first paragraph, the following clause:-

; (hh) subject to appropriation, build and maintain a centrally administered computer-based transfer and degree auditing system providing individual students with clear and consistent information on their progress toward fulfilling degree requirements in any undergraduate program at any public institution of higher education; provided, however, that said system shall include course-to-course equivalencies across institutions enabling students access to information necessary for understanding how credits will transfer to another public institution of higher education.  The Council shall coordinate the implementation of said system and shall ensure all public higher education institutions utilize the system for all undergraduate programs and course offerings, including but not limited to courses offered through continuing education programs, online courses, and courses supported by the commonwealth; provided, however, that the council shall determine the form in which all data and course equivalencies shall be submitted by the public institutions of higher education. The council shall also utilize the data in the system to produce an annual report that highlights the number and types of transfer within the system of public higher education, the number of students accessing said system, the progress of students statewide towards degree completion, and other relevant research assessments as the council may determine relevant to the careful and responsible discharge of its purposes.