Amend CSSB 1455 as follows:
(1) Between the enacting clause and current SECTION 1 of the
bill (Committee Printing, page 1, between lines 11 and 12), insert
the following:
SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 7.111, Education Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) The board shall provide for the administration of high
school equivalency examinations. A person who does not have a high
school diploma may take the examination in accordance with rules
adopted by the board if the person is:
(1) over 17 years of age; or
(2) <: (1) is> 16 years of age or older<;> and:
(A) <(2)> a public agency providing supervision
of the person or having custody of the person under a court order
recommends that the person take the examination; or
(B) the person has completed a high school
equivalency examination preparation program under Section 29.086.
SECTION 2. Subsection (a), Section 25.086, Education Code,
is amended to read as follows:
(a) A child is exempt from the requirements of compulsory
school attendance if the child:
(1) attends a private or parochial school that
includes in its course a study of good citizenship;
(2) is eligible to participate in a school district's
special education program under Section 29.003 and cannot be
appropriately served by the resident district;
(3) has a physical or mental condition of a temporary
and remediable nature that makes the child's attendance infeasible
and holds a certificate from a qualified physician specifying the
temporary condition, indicating the treatment prescribed to remedy
the temporary condition, and covering the anticipated period of the
child's absence from school for the purpose of receiving and
recuperating from that remedial treatment;
(4) is expelled in accordance with the requirements of
law in a school district that does not participate in a mandatory
juvenile justice alternative education program under Section
37.011;
(5) is at least 17 years of age and:
(A) is attending a course of instruction to
prepare for the high school equivalency examination, and:
(i) has the permission of the child's
parent or guardian to attend the course;
(ii) is required by court order to attend
the course;
(iii) has established a residence separate
and apart from the child's parent, guardian, or other person having
lawful control of the child; or
(iv) is homeless as defined by 42 U.S.C.
Section 11302; or
(B) has received a high school diploma or high
school equivalency certificate;
(6) is at least 16 years of age and:
(A) is attending a course of instruction to
prepare for the high school equivalency examination, if the child
is recommended to take the course of instruction by a public agency
that has supervision or custody of the child under a court order;
or
(B) has earned a high school equivalency
certificate after completing a program under Section 29.086;
(7) is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Mathematics
and Science;
(8) is enrolled in the Texas Academy of Leadership in
the Humanities; or
(9) is specifically exempted under another law.
(2) In current SECTION 1 of the bill (Committee Printing,
page 1, line 12), strike "SECTION 1." and substitute "SECTION 3.".
(3) In current SECTION 1 of the bill (Committee Printing,
page 1, line 14), strike "Subsections (g), (h), and (i)", and
substitute "Subsections (g) and (h)".
(4) In current SECTION 1 of the bill, in amended Section
29.081, Education Code (Committee Printing, page 2, lines 38-50),
strike proposed Subsection (g).
(5) In current SECTION 1 of the bill, in proposed Subsection
(h), Section 29.081, Education Code (Committee Printing, page 2,
line 51), strike "(h)" and substitute "(g)".
(6) In current SECTION 1 of the bill, in proposed Subsection
(i), Section 29.081, Education Code (Committee Printing, page 2,
line 56), strike "(i)" and substitute "(h)".
(7) Immediately preceding current SECTION 2 of the bill
(Committee Printing, page 2, between lines 65 and 66), insert the
following:
SECTION 4. Subchapter C, Chapter 29, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 29.086 to read as follows:
Sec. 29.086. SCHOOL DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY
EXAMINATION PROGRAMS. (a) The agency shall develop a program for
school districts to prepare eligible students who are at risk of
dropping out of school to take a high school equivalency
examination.
(b) A district that participates in the program shall offer
preparatory classes for the high school equivalency examination to
each eligible district student.
(c) A student is eligible to participate in the program if:
(1) the student is 16 years of age or older at the
beginning of the school year or semester;
(2) the student and the student's parent or guardian
agree to the student's participation;
(3) there is a reasonable expectation that the student
will not graduate on schedule and passing a high school equivalency
examination would be in the best interest of the student;
(4) there is a reasonable expectation that on
completion of the program the student will be able to perform
satisfactorily on the high school equivalency examination; and
(5) any other conditions specified by the agency are
satisfied.
(d) A district shall inform each student who has completed
the program of the time and place at which the student may take the
high school equivalency examination.
(e) The agency shall adopt rules to ensure that students are
not encouraged to participate in the program solely as a means to
divert students with discipline problems or poor academic
performance into the program as an alternative to regular high
school graduation.
(f) The agency shall request permission from the General
Educational Development Testing Service to administer the service's
high school equivalency examination to students enrolled in high
school who participate in the program.
(g) The agency shall include in its comprehensive biennial
report, required under Section 39.182, the number of students
enrolled in the program and the number of students in the program
who performed satisfactorily on the high school equivalency
examination.
(8) In current SECTION 9 of the bill (Committee Printing,
page 7, between lines 32 and 33), insert a new Subsection (b) to
read as follows:
(b) Section 7.111 and 25.086, Education Code, as amended by
this Act, and Section 29.086, Education Code, as added by this Act,
apply immediately.
(9) In Subsection (b) of current SECTION 9 of the bill
(Committee Printing, page 7, line 33), strike "(b)" and substitute
"(c)".
(10) In Subsection (c) of current SECTION 9 of the bill
(Committee Printing, page 7, line 37), strike "(c)" and substitute
"(d)".
(11) Renumber current SECTIONS 2 through 10 of the bill as
SECTIONS 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.