SB1400

Texas’s performance-tier system pays junior college districts based on specified outcomes. One statutory outcome concerns students who earn at least 15 semester credit hours or the equivalent at the district and subsequently transfer to a general academic teaching institution; another route concerns structured co-enrollment. SB1400 studies the subsequent-transfer route, specifically students who had already enrolled at a general academic teaching institution before attending the junior college. That institutional term uses the Education Code’s definition, rather than covering every possible private or out-of-state college. Existing performance-tier statute; Institutional definitions; Final law.

The coordinating board must consult its standing advisory committee of public junior college representatives and assess the feasibility, fiscal effects and policy implications of including those previously enrolled students. The study must examine students’ earlier postsecondary experience and attainment, how common each type is, the kinds and amount of college services they need, associated academic or workforce success, state fiscal effects and other relevant issues. Existing advisory committee; Final law.

The board, consulting the committee, must submit the study results and any recommendations for legislative or other action by December 1, 2026. The study section expires September 1, 2027; that expiration does not terminate the entire community-college funding system. Final law.

The original proposal was different. It would have directly required counting a transfer student despite prior university coursework if the student had completed fewer than 30 university semester credit hours or the equivalent at the time of transfer. The Senate committee substitute replaced that formula change with this study. The substitute, Senate-passed, House committee and enrolled substantive text match. No floor amendments are listed. The proposed under-30-hour funding rule therefore did not become law through SB1400. Introduced proposal; Senate substitute; Senate-passed; House committee; Final law; Version index; Amendment index.

Compare the published text versions in the official text index. A change is not attributed to a specific amendment here without a verified record.

Lawmakers gain a required analysis before deciding whether to change how these transfers earn state funding. Community colleges and students with earlier university experience may be affected by future policy decisions, but this act does not itself award colleges additional transfer payments, change students’ admission rights or guarantee tuition assistance. Final law.

The May 8 substitute fiscal note anticipates no significant state cost, assumes the study can be handled with existing resources and anticipates no local fiscal impact. The earlier March 27 estimate of $65.25 million in state costs over fiscal years 2026–27 applied to the introduced funding expansion, not the enacted study. The law contains no appropriation. Study-version fiscal note; Introduced-version fiscal note; Final law.