Bill

HB 3498

83(R) - 2013
Higher Education

Vote Recommendation

Yes
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Positive
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Scott Turner

Bill Caption

Relating to a requirement that a student's postsecondary transcript include the average or median grade awarded in each class.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

Summary: HB 3498 would require institutions of higher education to provide the average number grade or median letter grade next to the grade for each course on a student's transcript. The legislation would exempt pass-fail classes, independent study courses, or classes with 10 or less students.

Analysis: HB 3498 would provide grade transparency that would lead to holding university administration accountable to teach courses that provide preparation for the workforce, disclose course rigor to parents, and keep professors accountable to deliver on their missions to equip students to think critically as well as prepare them for the workforce. As stated in the following article by Texas Public Policy Foundation: "This, then, is the academic reality whose veil the bill would lift: Too many students are learning too little, yet their grades have never been so high" ("Higher Education Revalued: Texas Considers a Proposal to Reverse Grade Inflation"). We support HB 3498.