SCS/SB 1075 - This act modifies provisions of the Higher Education Core Curriculum Transfer Act. The act provides that the Coordinating Board for Higher Education shall, with the assistance of an advisory committee composed of representatives from each public community college and public four-year institution of higher education in this state, approve a 60 credit hour block of transferrable lower division courses and common course numbering equivalency matrix for at least five degree programs that have substantial student enrollment, as determined by the Coordinating Board. Each public community college and public four-year institution of higher education that offers the applicable degree programs shall include in such degree programs the 60 credit hour block of transferrable courses and common course numbering equivalency matrix approved by the Coordinating Board. The Coordinating Board shall complete its work with the advisory committee before June 30, 2026, and the transferrable courses and common course numbering equivalency matrix shall be implemented at all public institutions of higher education for the 2027-28 academic year. No institution of higher education shall be required to adopt the lower division courses for degree programs not offered at the institution.
If a student successfully completes the program-specific transferrable courses at a community college or other public institution of higher education, that block of courses may be transferred to any other public institution of higher education in this state and shall be substituted for the receiving institution's core curriculum for the same degree program. A student shall receive academic credit toward his or her degree for each of the courses transferred and shall not be required to take additional core curriculum courses at the receiving institution for the same degree program.
If a student transfers from one public institution of higher education to another public institution of higher education without completing all of the transferrable lower division coursework curriculum of the sending institution, such student shall receive academic credit toward the same degree program from the receiving institution for each of the courses that the student has successfully completed. Following receipt of credit for these courses, the student may, if the student has not completed all of the transferrable lower division courses, be required to satisfy further course requirements in the core curriculum of the receiving institution.
The Coordinating Board shall report to the House Committee on Higher Education and the Senate Committee on Education regarding progress made toward fulfilling the requirements of the act before December 31, 2025.
OLIVIA SHANNON