Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 103 amends the Education Code to require that the exit-level tests necessary for high school graduation be given to students in grade 11. It also adds social studies and science to the exit tests, mandates specific content to be covered by each section of the exit-level tests, and deletes the option of passing end-of-course tests in Algebra I and English II, plus either Biology I or United States History, in lieu of the exit-level test. The act further expands the current Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) program by mandating a grade 5 science test, grade 8 social studies test, grade 9 math and reading tests, and grade 10 math, English language arts, social studies, and science tests, and it moves the grade 8 writing test to grade 7. The act allows the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to develop, as well as adopt, the prescribed tests, which must be designed to assess the essential knowledge and skills for each subject area, and it adds an additional requirement for the exit-level test to assess a student's readiness to enter a college or university. It requires that data on the numerical progress of students who fail any of these tests on subsequent testing be included among the academic excellence indicators used for district and campus performance reporting.

            Senate Bill 103 requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules for the administration of Spanish-language versions of these tests to be given to certain limited English proficiency students in grades 3 through 6 whose primary language is Spanish. The act also exempts those students whose primary language is other than Spanish or who are recent unschooled immigrants; it requires the commissioner of education to develop a testing system to evaluate the academic progress, including reading proficiency in English, of all limited English proficiency students, and it further requires that their performance on these tests be included as an academic excellence indicator for reporting purposes in the public school accountability system.

            Senate Bill 103 requires the board to administer the new tests added by this legislation, with some exceptions, not later than the 2002-2003 school year and the TEA to include student performance on those tests in the accountability system not later than the 2004-2005 school year. The act also requires the board to administer the Spanish-language tests beginning with the 1999-2000 school year.