By Delisi H.B. No. 2505 75R2414 ESH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to promotion to the next grade level after completion of 1-3 an extended year program. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 29.082(e), Education Code, is amended to 1-6 read as follows: 1-7 (e) A student who attends at least 90 percent of the program 1-8 days of a program under this section and who satisfies the 1-9 requirements for promotion prescribed by Section 28.021 shall be 1-10 promoted to the next grade level at the beginning of the next 1-11 school year unless a parent of the student presents a written 1-12 request to the school principal that the student not be promoted to 1-13 the next grade level. As soon as practicable after receiving the 1-14 request from a parent, the principal shall hold a formal meeting 1-15 with the student's parent, extended year program teacher, and 1-16 counselor. During the meeting, the principal, teacher, or 1-17 counselor shall explain the longitudinal statistics on the academic 1-18 performance of students who are not promoted to the next grade 1-19 level and provide information on the effect of retention on a 1-20 student's self-esteem and on the likelihood of a student dropping 1-21 out of school. After the meeting, the parent may withdraw the 1-22 request that the student not be promoted to the next grade level. 1-23 If the parent of a student eligible for promotion under this 1-24 subsection withdraws the request, the student shall be promoted. 2-1 If a student is promoted under this subsection, the school district 2-2 shall continue to use innovative practices to ensure that the 2-3 student is successful in school in succeeding years. 2-4 SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 1997-1998 2-5 school year. 2-6 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-12 passage, and it is so enacted.