House Bill 0765e1
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HB 765, First Engrossed
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to postsecondary education;
3 providing legislative findings and intent;
4 creating the site-determined baccalaureate
5 degree access program; authorizing funding;
6 providing requirements for the use of such
7 funds; providing for participation by community
8 colleges and 4-year postsecondary institutions;
9 specifying duties of the Postsecondary
10 Education Planning Commission; specifying
11 funding levels; requiring program reviews and
12 evaluation; providing an effective date.
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14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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16 Section 1. Site-determined baccalaureate degree access
17 program; funding.--
18 (1) The Legislature recognizes that public and private
19 postsecondary education institutions play essential roles in
20 improving the quality of life and economic well-being of the
21 state and its residents. The Legislature also recognizes that
22 economic development needs and the educational needs of
23 place-bound, nontraditional students have increased the demand
24 for local access to baccalaureate degree programs. In some,
25 but not all, geographic regions, baccalaureate degree programs
26 are being delivered successfully at the local community
27 college through agreements between the community college and
28 4-year postsecondary institutions within or outside of the
29 state. It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to apply
30 this concept in the creation and funding of a program that
31 supports local economic development and responds to public
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HB 765, First Engrossed
1 demand for increased access to baccalaureate degrees in areas
2 of the state that are underserved by 4-year institutions.
3 (2) Categorical funding is authorized for the
4 site-determined baccalaureate degree access program created by
5 this section. Funds may not be used to support the
6 construction, renovation, or remodeling of facilities. This
7 program is voluntary and does not preclude other mutually
8 agreed upon arrangements between community colleges and 4-year
9 institutions for the delivery of baccalaureate degrees on
10 community college sites.
11 (3) Each community college wishing to participate in
12 the site-determined baccalaureate degree access program must:
13 (a) Identify baccalaureate degree programs that are
14 not currently offered at the community college but are
15 proposed for delivery at the college to meet the academic and
16 economic development needs of one or more communities within
17 the college's service area. When assessing local needs, the
18 college should seek input from the appropriate chamber of
19 commerce, workforce development council, and other civic and
20 business groups. As used in this section, the term "economic
21 development" means entrepreneurial efforts, the attraction of
22 new business and industry to the area, and the expansion of
23 existing business and industry.
24 (b) Determine the number of students interested in
25 pursuing each proposed baccalaureate degree program and
26 identify the enrollment patterns, any special characteristics
27 of those students, and any unique combination or modification
28 of course offerings that may be necessary to meet student
29 enrollment needs.
30 (c) Submit a proposal to the Postsecondary Education
31 Planning Commission requesting validation of the need for the
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HB 765, First Engrossed
1 proposed baccalaureate degree program and tentative approval
2 for program funding. The proposal must include:
3 1. A description of each proposed baccalaureate degree
4 program identifying the junior-level and senior-level courses
5 to be offered and designating whether the program should be
6 offered for a cohort group or as an ongoing degree program.
7 2. Evidence that local occupational forecasts support
8 the existence of jobs for graduates of the proposed
9 baccalaureate degree programs.
10 3. An estimated number of students to be served by
11 each proposed degree program.
12 4. An assurance that the community college's existing
13 facilities are sufficient to meet the additional demands for
14 classroom and laboratory space for the proposed degree
15 programs.
16 5. Evidence that the college has requested the
17 participation of no fewer than three regionally accredited
18 4-year postsecondary institutions, including at least one
19 member of the State University System. Any member of the
20 State University System and any independent, regionally
21 accredited, 4-year institution that is chartered in, and has
22 its primary campus located in, Florida may be a partner in a
23 site-determined baccalaureate degree access program at any
24 community college.
25 6. A tentative agreement between the community college
26 and the 4-year postsecondary institution selected to offer the
27 upper-level courses leading to the proposed degree or degrees.
28 7. Any additional provisions that the Postsecondary
29 Education Planning Commission considers pertinent to the
30 proposal.
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HB 765, First Engrossed
1 (4) The Postsecondary Education Planning Commission,
2 after soliciting comments from the Board of Regents and the
3 State Board of Community Colleges, shall validate the need for
4 each baccalaureate degree program proposed for delivery
5 according to this section and shall notify the community
6 college that its proposal has been approved or rejected. The
7 commission shall establish procedures for the timely
8 submission, review, and approval of the proposals and
9 agreements required by this section. These procedures must be
10 designed to allow the initiation of approved baccalaureate
11 degree programs at least 3 times each fiscal year.
12 (5) Once the Postsecondary Education Planning
13 Commission validates the need for the proposed baccalaureate
14 degree program and notifies the community college that its
15 proposal has been approved, the community college shall
16 finalize an agreement with the regionally accredited, public
17 or nonpublic, 4-year postsecondary institution selected to
18 provide the upper-level instructional services in the approved
19 baccalaureate degree program. The commission shall identify
20 the common aspects that each agreement must address,
21 including, but not limited to:
22 (a) A course delivery pattern based on the student
23 enrollment patterns and characteristics included in the
24 approved proposal.
25 (b) An articulation provision that guarantees
26 acceptance of students who hold an associate in arts or
27 associate in science degree and satisfy any other
28 prerequisites for admission to the specific baccalaureate
29 degree program.
30 (c) The provision of library services and student
31 support services.
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HB 765, First Engrossed
1 (d) An agreement that the participating 4-year
2 postsecondary institution will continue offering instructional
3 services at least until all qualified members of the initial
4 group of students have had an opportunity to complete the
5 degree program.
6 (e) The specific and measurable performance criteria
7 that the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission may use
8 to evaluate the outcomes and outputs of the baccalaureate
9 degree program within an identified timeframe.
10 (f) An agreement that in-state student tuition for the
11 degree program will not exceed the matriculation fee for the
12 State University System unless the proposal approved by the
13 Postsecondary Education Planning Commission allows the
14 participating institutions to charge differentiated tuition
15 and fees to encourage student attendance and participation.
16 Out-of-state students shall pay full costs. Notwithstanding
17 section 240.605, Florida Statutes, students participating in a
18 site-determined baccalaureate degree program may not receive a
19 Florida Resident Access Grant.
20 (6) Each participating community college must submit
21 the agreement required by this section to the Postsecondary
22 Education Planning Commission for review and final approval
23 before initiating an approved site-determined baccalaureate
24 degree access program. Subject to the availability of
25 legislative appropriations specifically provided for this
26 purpose, the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission must
27 recommend to the Commissioner of Education the total funds to
28 be released to each participating community college for the
29 initiation of the approved site-determined baccalaureate
30 degree access program. The community college shall distribute
31 funds to the participating 4-year postsecondary institution at
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HB 765, First Engrossed
1 the rate specified in the approved agreement. The
2 Postsecondary Education Planning Commission shall not
3 recommend the release of funding for any program that is
4 terminated before or after the evaluation required by this
5 section. The total funds to be released for the initiation of
6 an approved program shall be based on the number of fundable
7 upper-level student credit hours for each term. Unless
8 otherwise provided in an appropriations act, the funding per
9 credit hour shall be an amount equal to the state funds,
10 excluding student fees, appropriated to the State University
11 System for each full-time equivalent student enrolled in
12 upper-level course work. Student credit hours funded under
13 this program may not be duplicated in any other calculation of
14 state funding for the 4-year institution.
15 (7) The Postsecondary Education Planning Commission
16 may require the participating community colleges and 4-year
17 postsecondary institutions to submit information necessary to
18 monitor the annual performance of the program. Within 90 days
19 after the 2nd and 4th year of the site-determined
20 baccalaureate degree access program, the commission shall
21 submit to the chairs of the education and fiscal committees of
22 the Legislature a progress report, including an evaluation of
23 the funding mechanism created by this section. The commission
24 shall review each site-determined baccalaureate degree access
25 program funded under this section to ascertain whether the
26 performance measures specified in the agreement between the
27 participating community college and the 4-year institution
28 have been met. Each program must be reviewed 4 years after
29 initiation unless a shorter timeframe is specified in the
30 agreement. The performance measures must include the student
31 graduation rate, the employment rate of program graduates both
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HB 765, First Engrossed
1 within and outside the community college service area, the
2 continuing need to offer the specific baccalaureate degree
3 program in the community college service area, and such other
4 information as the Postsecondary Education Planning Commission
5 may determine necessary for program and performance
6 evaluation. Based on its evaluation, the commission shall
7 either approve continuation of the program, require
8 modifications prior to program approval, or recommend that the
9 participating institutions terminate the program after all
10 qualified members of the initial group of students have an
11 opportunity to complete the degree program. The commission
12 must submit to the Commissioner of Education for inclusion in
13 the legislative budget a request for funding for approved
14 site-determined baccalaureate degree access programs.
15 (8) If no accredited 4-year institution is willing to
16 provide a baccalaureate degree program approved by the
17 Postsecondary Education Planning Commission under this
18 section, the community college board of trustees may ask the
19 commission to evaluate the college's request to offer the
20 degree program. If the commission is satisfied that the
21 community college should offer the degree program, it shall
22 recommend to the Legislature the enactment of statutory
23 authority for the community college to offer that specific
24 baccalaureate degree program.
25 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
26 law.
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