SENATE DOCKET, NO. 317        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 579

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Benjamin B. Downing

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to student records coordination across public higher education institutions.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 317        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 579

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 567 OF 2011-2012.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

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An Act relative to student records coordination across public higher education institutions.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 9 of chapter 15A, as appearing in the 2010 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “institutions”, in line 119, the following words:-

“; provided, however, that 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 to support the development of policies that enhance successful transitions from early childhood through entry into the workforce.”

SECTION 2. Said section 9 of said chapter 15A, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting after the word “education”, in line 229, the following words:-

“; and (hh) to build and maintain a centrally administered computer-based transfer and degree auditing system providing individual students with clear and consistent information on the student’s progress toward fulfilling degree requirements in any undergraduate program at any public institution of higher education; provided that the 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; provided further, that the council shall coordinate the implementation of the 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 further, that the council shall determine the form in which all data and course equivalencies shall be submitted by the public institutions of higher education; provided further, that the council shall also utilize the data in the system to produce an annual report that highlights the number and type of transfers within the system of public higher education, the number of students accessing the 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; and provided further, that the annual report shall be submitted to the secretary of education, the joint committee on higher education and the house and senate committees on ways and means not later than October 1.”