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.