HBA-JRA H.B. 3136 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3136 By: Brown, Fred Public Education 4/20/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law does not prohibit a school district from requiring a transfer student from a nonaccredited private school to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument provided by the district as a condition of transferring the student's credit. H.B. 3136 prohibits a school district from imposing requirements on a transfer student from a nonaccredited private school for transferring course credit that it does not impose on a transfer student from an accredited private school, provided the transfer student demonstrates to the school district proficiency in the subject matter. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, by adding Section 28.026, as follows: Sec. 28.026. LIMITING ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT AS A CONDITION FOR COURSE CREDIT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. (a) Prohibits a school district from requiring a student who transfers to a public school in the district from a nonaccredited private school that includes in its course a study of good citizenship, including a parochial or home school, to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument provided by the district as a condition of transferring credit the student has received for a course satisfactorily completed at the private school if: _the student provides the district with scores on a nationally recognized assessment instrument that demonstrates proficiency in the subject matter and a transcript and portfolio describing the course content, and _a student who transfers to a public school in the district from an accredited private school that includes in its course a study of good citizenship is not required to perform satisfactorily on such an assessment instrument as a condition of transferring credit for a course. (b) Defines "accredited private school" and "nonaccredited private school" in this section. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective to the 1999-2000 school year. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.