SR H.B. 836 75(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


PUBLIC EDUCATION
H.B. 836
By: Gallego
4-21-97
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND 

Current law allows any student who attends 90 percent of an extended year
program to automatically advance to the next grade level at the beginning
of the following school year, regardless of performance, unless a parent
provides a written request to retain the student. However, the Education
Code also requires that students be promoted only on the basis of academic
achievement or demonstrated proficiency of the subject matter of the
course or grade level.  

PURPOSE

Current law allows any student who attends 90 percent of an extended year
program to automatically advance to the next grade level at the beginning
of the following school year, regardless of performance, unless a parent
provides a written request to retain the student. However, the Education
Code also requires that students be promoted only on the basis of academic
achievement or demonstrated proficiency of the subject matter of the
course or grade level.  

PURPOSE

This bill provides that the criteria for promotion of students in the
extended year program equal that of other students not enrolled in the
program.  HB 836 deletes the provision that provides for the automatic
promotion of a student to the next grade level if the student attends at
least 90 percent of the extended year program.  The bill also deletes
provisions that outline the procedures a school must follow when a parent
requests that the student not be promoted to the next grade level.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.Amends Section 29.082, Education Code, to delete the provision
that allows for the promotion of a student to the next grade level if the
student attends at least 90 percent of the extended year program.
Provisions that outline procedures a school must follow when a parent
requests the student not be promoted to the next grade level are also
deleted.  Redesignates existing Subsections (f) and (g).  

SECTION 2.Effective Date.

SECTION 3.Emergency Clause.