SRC-JJJ C.S.S.B. 103 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 103 76R9124 ESH-DBy: Bivins Education 4/6/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) DIGEST Currently, students must pass the 10th grade exit-level Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) covering various subjects in order to graduate from high school. TAAS measures a student's progress toward certain academic goals of the state. There have been requests from businesses and institutions of higher education for the state to administer an exit-level exam with a broader content, which measures the core academic skills needed to succeed in higher education and the workplace. C.S.S.B. 103 would require assessment exams to be given with more frequency, and would require exams to be taken in the 11th grade and to include social studies and science. PURPOSE As proposed, C.S.S.B. 103 establishes provisions regarding state assessments of public schools. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY Rulemaking authority is granted to the commissioner of education in SECTION 10. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 28.025(a), Education Code, to authorize a student to graduate and receive a diploma only if the student complies with Section 39.025(a) or the student successfully completes an individualized education program. Deletes text regarding the exit level assessment. Makes a conforming change. SECTION 2. Amends Sections 39.023(a) and (c), Education Code, to set forth required assessment instruments designed to assess students' competencies in certain subjects at various grade levels. Requires the Texas Education Agency (agency) to adopt secondary exit-level assessments to be administered to students in grade 11 to assess social studies and science. Requires assessment instruments to assess a student's mastery of minimum skills necessary for high school graduation and readiness to enroll in an institution of higher education. Requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to assist the agency in determining skills necessary for enrolling in a higher education institution. Exempts students who perform at or above the level established by THECB on the secondary exit-level assessment instruments from the requirements of Section 51.306. Deletes text regarding the required grade of certain test levels. Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes. SECTION 3. (a) Provides that this section takes effect only if S.B. 1, Acts if the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is enacted and becomes law. (b) Amends Section 39.023(e), Education Code, to require the agency to release the question and answer keys to each assessment instrument initially administered after the last time the instrument is administered for that school year. Establishes that the agency is not required to release the keys to an assessment instrument administered in compliance with Section 28.0211(b) before the fifth anniversary of the last date on which the assessment instrument is administered. Makes conforming changes SECTION 4. (a) Provides that this section takes effect only if S.B. 1, Acts if the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is not enacted or does not becomes law. (b) Amends Section 39.023(e), Education Code, to make conforming changes. SECTION 5. Amends Section 39.025(a), Education Code, to delete text regarding specific classes administering an assessment exam. Makes conforming changes. SECTION 6. Amends Section 39.051(b), Education Code, to delete text regarding the percentage of students taking end-of-course assessment instruments. Makes a conforming change. SECTION 7. Amends Section 39.052(b), Education Code, to make conforming changes . SECTION 8. Repealers: Section 39.023(d) (regarding allowable modifications of assessment exams for special education students and exemption of exam for students) and Section 39.023(j) (regarding expiration date of subsection), Education Code. SECTION 9. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 10. Requires the commissioner of education to adopt rules that set forth the implementation of Section 39.023, Education Code. Sets forth requirements for the rules. SECTION 11. Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to conduct a study to determine the effectiveness of changes to Chapter 39B, Education Code, as amended by this Act. Sets forth required conditions included under, but not limited to, the study. Requires the commissioner to report the results of the study to certain individuals no later than December 1, 2006. SECTION 12. Repealer: Section 39.023, Education Code (regarding adoption and administration of instruments), effective August 31, 2009. SECTION 13. Emergency clause. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES SECTION 2. Amends Sections 39.023(a) and (c), Education Code, to set forth the administration of required assessment exams in the required grade. Requires assessment instruments to assess a student's mastery of minimum skills necessary for high school graduation and readiness to enroll in an institution of higher education. Deletes proposed Subsection (e). SECTION 3. Amends Section 39.023(e), Education Code, to establish that the agency is not required to release the question and answer keys to assessment instruments, if S.B. 1, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is enacted and becomes law. SECTION 4. Adds Subsections (a) and (b) to provide that this section takes effect only if S.B. 1, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999, is not enacted and does not becomes law. Amends Section 39.023(e), Education Code, to make conforming changes. Renumbers subsequent sections. SECTION 11. Adds section to require the commissioner to conduct a study to determine the effectiveness of changes to Chapter 39B, Education Code, as amended by this Act. SECTION 12. Adds a repealer to 39.023, Education Code (regarding adoption and administration of instruments), effective August 31, 2009. Renumbers subsequent section.