By: Bivins, et al. S.B. No. 385
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the curriculum requirements for graduation from public
1-3 high school.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 28.025, Education Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 28.025. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND CERTIFICATE; ACADEMIC
1-8 ACHIEVEMENT RECORD. (a) The State Board of Education by rule
1-9 shall determine curriculum requirements for the minimum,
1-10 recommended, and advanced high school programs that are consistent
1-11 with the required curriculum under Section 28.002.
1-12 (b) A school district shall ensure that each student enrolls
1-13 in the courses necessary to complete the curriculum requirements
1-14 identified by the State Board of Education under Subsection (a) for
1-15 the recommended or advanced high school program unless the student,
1-16 the student's parent or other person standing in parental relation
1-17 to the student, and a school counselor or school administrator
1-18 agree that the student should be permitted to take courses under
1-19 the minimum high school program.
1-20 (c) A school district, upon request of a student, may
1-21 petition the State Board of Education to approve any course that
1-22 does not fall within the recommended high school program in place
1-23 of a requirement listed as part of the recommended high school
1-24 program when the proposed course is academically rigorous and
1-25 addresses documented student needs. The State Board of Education
2-1 shall adopt rules to establish procedures for this section.
2-2 (d) School districts shall notify parents of children
2-3 enrolling in the ninth grade, prior to class registration, of the
2-4 following:
2-5 (1) the recommended high school program is the
2-6 curriculum preferred for graduation and required to receive a TEXAS
2-7 grant;
2-8 (2) the courses necessary to complete the recommended
2-9 high school program;
2-10 (3) the procedure for enrolling a student in the
2-11 minimum high school program instead of the recommended high school
2-12 program; and
2-13 (4) the procedure for petitioning to have a course
2-14 counted toward the recommended high school program.
2-15 (e) A school district may give notification as required
2-16 under Subsection (d) as part of regular correspondence concerning
2-17 registration and orientation.
2-18 (f) A student may graduate and receive a diploma only if:
2-19 (1) the student successfully completes the curriculum
2-20 requirements identified by the State Board of Education under
2-21 Subsection (a) [board] and complies with Section 39.025(a); or
2-22 (2) the student successfully completes an
2-23 individualized education program developed under Section 29.005.
2-24 (g) [(b)] A school district may issue a certificate of
2-25 coursework completion to a student who successfully completes the
2-26 curriculum requirements identified by the State Board of Education
3-1 under Subsection (a) but who fails to comply with Section 39.025(a)
3-2 [perform satisfactorily on the assessment instruments specified by
3-3 Subsection (a)]. A school district may allow a student who
3-4 receives a certificate to participate in a graduation ceremony with
3-5 students receiving high school diplomas.
3-6 (h) [(c)] Each school district shall report the academic
3-7 achievement record of students who have completed a minimum,
3-8 recommended, or advanced high school program on transcript forms
3-9 adopted by the State Board of Education. The transcript forms
3-10 adopted by the board must be designed to clearly differentiate
3-11 between each of the high school programs and identify whether a
3-12 student received a diploma or a certificate of coursework
3-13 completion.
3-14 (i) Subsection (b) applies to students entering the ninth
3-15 grade in the 2004-2005 school year and thereafter. On application
3-16 of a school district, the commissioner may exempt the district from
3-17 the implementation date in this subsection if the commissioner
3-18 finds the requirement results in an undue hardship on the district.
3-19 An exemption under this subsection expires at the end of a period
3-20 determined by the commissioner not to exceed three years. An
3-21 exemption under this subsection is not subject to Section 7.056.
3-22 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.