By Bivins                                              S.B. No. 385
         77R4951 CAS-D                           
                                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 read
 1-6     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 shall
 1-9     determine curriculum requirements for the minimum, recommended, and
1-10     advanced high school programs that are consistent with the required
1-11     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, a school counselor, and a 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 student may graduate and receive a diploma only if:
1-21                 (1)  the student successfully completes the curriculum
1-22     requirements identified by the State Board of Education under
1-23     Subsection (a) [board] and complies with Section 39.025(a); or
1-24                 (2)  the student successfully completes an
 2-1     individualized education program developed under Section 29.005.
 2-2           (d) [(b)]  A school district may issue a certificate of
 2-3     coursework completion to a student who successfully completes the
 2-4     curriculum requirements identified by the State Board of Education
 2-5     under Subsection (a) but who fails to comply with Section 39.025(a)
 2-6     [perform satisfactorily on the assessment instruments specified by
 2-7     Subsection (a)].  A school district may allow a student who
 2-8     receives a certificate to participate in a graduation ceremony with
 2-9     students receiving high school diplomas.
2-10           (e) [(c)]  Each school district shall report the academic
2-11     achievement record of students who have completed a minimum,
2-12     recommended, or advanced high school program on transcript forms
2-13     adopted by the State Board of Education.  The transcript forms
2-14     adopted by the board must be designed to clearly differentiate
2-15     between each of the high school programs and identify whether a
2-16     student received a diploma or a certificate of coursework
2-17     completion.
2-18           (f)  Subsection (b) applies to students entering the ninth
2-19     grade in the 2004-2005 school year and thereafter.  This subsection
2-20     expires September 1, 2004.
2-21           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.