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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of individual graduation committees to satisfy |
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certain public high school graduation requirements and other |
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alternative methods to satisfy certain public high school |
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graduation requirements. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 12.104, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b-2) and adding Subsection (b-3) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b-2) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to the |
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requirement to establish an individual graduation committee under |
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Section 28.0258. This subsection expires September 1, 2019 [2017]. |
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(b-3) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to the |
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graduation qualification procedure established by the commissioner |
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under Section 28.02541. This subsection expires September 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 2. Section 28.025(c-6), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c-6) Notwithstanding Subsection (c), a person may receive |
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a diploma if the person is eligible for a diploma under Section |
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28.0258. This subsection expires September 1, 2019 [2017]. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.02541 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.02541. DIPLOMA FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS WHO ENTERED |
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NINTH GRADE BEFORE 2011-2012 SCHOOL YEAR. (a) This section applies |
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only to a student who: |
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(1) entered the ninth grade before the 2011-2012 |
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school year; |
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(2) successfully completed the curriculum |
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requirements for high school graduation applicable to the student |
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when the student entered the ninth grade; |
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(3) has not performed satisfactorily on an assessment |
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instrument or a part of an assessment instrument required for high |
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school graduation, including an alternate assessment instrument |
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offered under Section 39.025(c-1); and |
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(4) has been administered the assessment instrument or |
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the part of the assessment instrument for which the student has not |
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performed satisfactorily at least three times. |
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(b) Notwithstanding the requirements under this subchapter, |
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the commissioner by rule shall establish a procedure to determine |
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whether a student subject to this section may qualify to graduate |
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and receive a high school diploma as provided by this section. |
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(c) In adopting rules under this section, the commissioner: |
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(1) shall designate the school district in which a |
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student is enrolled or was last enrolled to make the decision |
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regarding whether the student qualifies to graduate and receive a |
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high school diploma; and |
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(2) shall establish criteria for school districts to |
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develop recommendations for alternative requirements by which a |
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student subject to this section may qualify to graduate and receive |
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a high school diploma. |
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(d) In adopting rules under Subsection (c)(2), the |
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commissioner may authorize as an alternative requirement: |
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(1) an alternative assessment instrument and |
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performance standard for that assessment instrument; |
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(2) work experience; or |
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(3) military or other relevant life experience. |
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(e) A school district's decision regarding whether the |
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student qualifies to graduate and receive a high school diploma is |
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final and may not be appealed. |
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(f) The commissioner shall adopt rules to administer this |
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section. |
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(g) This section expires September 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 4. Effective September 1, 2018, Section 28.0258(e), |
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Education Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(e) To be eligible to graduate and receive a high school |
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diploma under this section, a student must successfully complete |
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the curriculum requirements required for high school graduation[:
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[(1)] identified by the State Board of Education under |
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Section 28.025(a)[; or
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[(2)
as otherwise provided by the transition plan
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adopted by the commissioner under Section 28.025(h)]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 28.0258(l), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(l) This section expires September 1, 2019 [2017]. |
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SECTION 6. The heading to Section 28.0259, Education Code, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.0259. SCHOOL DISTRICT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR |
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STUDENTS GRADUATING BASED ON INDIVIDUAL GRADUATION COMMITTEE |
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REVIEW PROCESS. |
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SECTION 7. Section 28.0259(e), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(e) This section expires September 1, 2019 [2018]. |
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SECTION 8. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.02591 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.02591. TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD |
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REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR STUDENTS GRADUATING BASED ON INDIVIDUAL |
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GRADUATION COMMITTEE REVIEW PROCESS. (a) The Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board, in coordination with the agency, |
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shall collect longitudinal data relating to the post-graduation |
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pursuits of each student who is awarded a diploma based on the |
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determination of an individual graduation committee under Section |
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28.0258, as that section existed before September 1, 2019, |
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including whether the student: |
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(1) enters the workforce; |
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(2) enrolls in an associate degree or certificate |
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program at a public or private institution of higher education; |
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(3) enrolls in a bachelor's degree program at a public |
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or private institution of higher education; or |
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(4) enlists in the armed forces of the United States or |
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the Texas National Guard. |
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(b) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board shall provide a |
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report to the legislature that includes a summary compilation of |
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the data collected under Subsection (a) that is presented in a |
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manner that does not identify an individual student. |
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(c) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the |
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agency shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section. |
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SECTION 9. Section 39.025(a-2), Education Code, as added by |
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Chapter 5 (S.B. 149), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2015, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student who has |
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failed to perform satisfactorily on end-of-course assessment |
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instruments in the manner provided under this section may receive a |
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high school diploma if the student has qualified for graduation |
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under Section 28.0258. This subsection expires September 1, 2019 |
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[2017]. |
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SECTION 10. Section 39.025(a-3), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a-3) A student who, after retaking an end-of-course |
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assessment instrument for Algebra I or English II, has failed to |
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perform satisfactorily as required by Subsection (a), but who |
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receives a score of proficient on the Texas Success Initiative |
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(TSI) diagnostic assessment for the corresponding subject for which |
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the student failed to perform satisfactorily on the end-of-course |
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assessment instrument satisfies the requirement concerning the |
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Algebra I or English II end-of-course assessment, as applicable. |
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This subsection expires September 1, 2019 [2017]. |
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SECTION 11. Effective September 1, 2019, Section 39.025, |
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Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (c-1) and adding |
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Subsection (c-2) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) A school district may not administer an assessment |
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instrument required for graduation administered under this section |
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as this section existed: |
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(1) before September 1, 1999; or |
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(2) before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. 1031), Acts |
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of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007. |
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(c-2) A school district may administer to a student who |
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failed to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument |
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described by Subsection (c-1) [this subsection] an alternate |
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assessment instrument designated by the commissioner. The |
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commissioner shall determine the level of performance considered to |
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be satisfactory on an alternate assessment instrument. The |
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district may not administer to the student an assessment instrument |
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or a part of an assessment instrument that assesses a subject that |
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was not assessed in an assessment instrument applicable to the |
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student described by Subsection (c-1) [required for graduation
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administered under this section as this section existed before
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September 1, 1999]. The commissioner shall make available to |
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districts information necessary to administer the alternate |
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assessment instrument authorized by this subsection. The |
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commissioner's determination regarding designation of an |
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appropriate alternate assessment instrument under this subsection |
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and the performance required on the assessment instrument is final |
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and may not be appealed. |
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SECTION 12. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this |
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Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of |
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all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, |
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Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the |
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vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect |
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September 1, 2017. |