2013 -- S 0511 SUBSTITUTE A

=======

LC00970/SUB A

=======

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

____________

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - REVERSE TRANSFER CREDITS

     Introduced By: Senators Pichardo, Gallo, Satchell, DiPalma, and Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 28, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Education

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1-1

     SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled "EDUCATION" is hereby amended

1-2

by adding thereto the following chapter:

1-3

     CHAPTER 100

1-4

REVERSE TRANSFER CREDITS

1-5

     16-100-1. Legislative findings. -- (a) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS),

1-6

overall people with an associate's degree earned more than do those whose highest level of

1-7

educational attainment is a high-school diploma.

1-8

     (b) According to the BLS, among the fastest growing occupations and occupations with

1-9

plentiful job openings are those often requiring workers with an associate's degree. According to

1-10

some estimates, employment of Americans with an associate's degree has increased by 578,000

1-11

over the time period of April to October 2012.

1-12

     (c) According to census data, by the year 2020 over fifty percent (50%) of Rhode Island

1-13

jobs will require some form of postsecondary training

1-14

     (d) According to census data among Rhode Islanders without a postsecondary degree,

1-15

nineteen and seven/tenths percent (19.7%) had at least some college but did not receive a degree.

1-16

     (e) By allowing students to transfer more of the credits they have earned towards an

1-17

associate's degree, it would enable those students who have not completed a four (4) year degree

1-18

to obtain an associate's degree which will better reflects those students' actual educational

1-19

attainment.

2-20

     16-100-2. Policy implemented. -- (a) The state board of education and/or the board of

2-21

governors for higher education, whichever is in existence at the time, shall prescribe by regulation

2-22

a reverse transfer policy that shall allow students to use credits earned at a four (4) year institution

2-23

for an associate's degree at a two (2) year institution. The regulations shall address the minimum

2-24

grade of the course to be transferred and any other areas that the board deems appropriate.

2-25

     (b) The board shall allow the transfer of at least eighty percent (80%) of the credits at a

2-26

four (4) year institution that the two (2) year institution requires for the associate's degree

2-27

program or certificate with the remaining credits earned through the two (2) year institution, as

2-28

well as any exit exam required for that program or certificate.

2-29

     16-100-3. Reporting. -- The board shall report the number of associate's degrees and

2-30

certificates awarded where students utilized the reverse transfer option and wherever possible

2-31

whether the student continued to pursue a bachelors degree. The report shall be provided to the

2-32

president of the senate, speaker of the house and the governor annually beginning July 1, 2015.

2-33

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

=======

LC00970/SUB A

========

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N A C T

RELATING TO EDUCATION - REVERSE TRANSFER CREDITS

***

3-1

     This act would direct the state board of education to set forth regulations that would

3-2

provide a policy for the reverse transfer of credits from a four (4) year school to a two (2) year

3-3

school.

3-4

     This act would take effect upon passage.

=======

LC00970/SUB A

=======