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Senate Bill 960 |
Senate Author: Shapleigh |
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Effective: Vetoed |
House Sponsor: Haggerty |
Senate Bill 960 amends the Education Code to allow a student who is the dependent of a person serving in the military to satisfy the graduation requirement of a passing score on the exit-level tests for English language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science and to qualify for a high school diploma by performing satisfactorily on one or more alternative nationally recognized norm-referenced tests if the student, as a result of a military personnel transfer or deployment, transfers into a Texas public school after the student's sophomore year. The bill requires the commissioner of education to set required performance levels for the alternative tests that correspond to the performance levels otherwise required on the exit-level tests.
Reason Given for Veto: "Senate Bill No. 960 would exempt dependents of military personnel from passing the exit-level Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test if the students transfer into the Texas public school system after they complete their sophomore year in high school. Instead of taking the TAKS, the commissioner of education would determine appropriate performance levels on other nationally recognized norm-referenced assessment instruments in order to satisfy the graduation requirements and qualify for a Texas diploma.
"The strength of our accountability system is derived from having a common standard for all students. Allowing exemptions from this standard decreases the value of a Texas diploma. And I believe all Texas students are capable of success.
"Instead of singling out a particular group of students, I am directing the Texas Education Agency to study the challenges faced by transfer students and propose viable options to address this problem to the 81st Legislature."