By: Smith, Ashley H.B. No. 1611 73R5942 ESH-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to guaranteeing the quality and appropriateness of the 1-3 education received by a graduate of a public secondary school. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter O, Chapter 21, Education Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 21.562 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 21.562. GUARANTEE OF QUALITY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF 1-8 EDUCATION. (a) A school district shall guarantee that each 1-9 graduate of a secondary school in the district receives an 1-10 appropriate education of a quality sufficient to prepare the 1-11 graduate to enter the work force. 1-12 (b) A school district that fails to provide a graduate of a 1-13 secondary school with an education that meets the standards of 1-14 Subsection (a) of this section shall provide remedial education to 1-15 the graduate as provided by this section. 1-16 (c) The Central Education Agency shall adopt minimum 1-17 policies and procedures to implement this section. The policies 1-18 and procedures must: 1-19 (1) be developed in cooperation with representatives 1-20 of secondary schools, businesses, and industries in this state; and 1-21 (2) include: 1-22 (A) basic requirements for a graduate guarantee 1-23 program; 1-24 (B) the elements of a graduate guarantee; 2-1 (C) the maximum period, not to exceed three 2-2 years, for which a school district must guarantee a graduate; and 2-3 (D) the steps a graduate or business must take 2-4 to obtain the benefits of a graduate guarantee. 2-5 (d) The board of trustees of each school district that 2-6 offers secondary school education shall adopt local policies and 2-7 procedures for implementing a graduate guarantee program. 2-8 (e) Each program must include the minimum policies and 2-9 procedures adopted by the Central Education Agency, but a school 2-10 district's local policies and procedures may exceed those levels. 2-11 In developing its local procedures and policies, each school 2-12 district shall consult with parents, business and industry 2-13 representatives, and other community representatives. 2-14 (f) A school district's local policies and procedures must: 2-15 (1) identify the performance and skills a student must 2-16 show after graduation; 2-17 (2) establish the period, in excess of the minimum 2-18 period required by the Central Education Agency, for which the 2-19 school district will guarantee its graduates; 2-20 (3) provide a method for reporting deficiencies in a 2-21 graduate's preparation; 2-22 (4) determine the method for providing remedial 2-23 education to a graduate under this section; 2-24 (5) establish the type of graduate remediation 2-25 offered; 2-26 (6) establish minimum and maximum periods during which 2-27 graduate remediation will take place; and 3-1 (7) provide a method for determining and evaluating 3-2 the results of graduate remediation. 3-3 (g) A school district may guarantee the appropriateness and 3-4 quality of the education of a student who graduates from secondary 3-5 school before May 15, 1995. A school district shall guarantee the 3-6 appropriateness and quality of the education of a student who 3-7 graduates from secondary school on or after May 15, 1995. This 3-8 section expires September 1, 1995. 3-9 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993. 3-10 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.