1-1 By: Bivins, West, Zaffirini S.B. No. 385
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 25, 2001; January 29, 2001,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Education;
1-4 March 26, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; March 26, 2001,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 385 By: Bivins
1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-9 AN ACT
1-10 relating to the curriculum requirements for graduation from public
1-11 high school.
1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13 SECTION 1. Section 28.025, Education Code, is amended to
1-14 read as follows:
1-15 Sec. 28.025. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND CERTIFICATE; ACADEMIC
1-16 ACHIEVEMENT RECORD. (a) The State Board of Education by rule
1-17 shall determine curriculum requirements for the minimum,
1-18 recommended, and advanced high school programs that are consistent
1-19 with the required curriculum under Section 28.002.
1-20 (b) A school district shall ensure that each student enrolls
1-21 in the courses necessary to complete the curriculum requirements
1-22 identified by the State Board of Education under Subsection (a) for
1-23 the recommended or advanced high school program unless the student,
1-24 the student's parent or other person standing in parental relation
1-25 to the student, and a school counselor or school administrator
1-26 agree that the student should be permitted to take courses under
1-27 the minimum high school program.
1-28 (c) A school district, upon request of a student, may
1-29 petition the State Board of Education to approve any course that
1-30 does not fall within the recommended high school program in place
1-31 of a requirement listed as part of the recommended high school
1-32 program when the proposed course is academically rigorous and
1-33 addresses documented student needs. The State Board of Education
1-34 shall adopt rules to establish procedures for this section.
1-35 (d) School districts shall notify parents of children
1-36 enrolling in the ninth grade, prior to class registration, of the
1-37 following:
1-38 (1) the recommended high school program is the
1-39 curriculum preferred for graduation and required to receive a TEXAS
1-40 grant;
1-41 (2) the courses necessary to complete the recommended
1-42 high school program;
1-43 (3) the procedure for enrolling a student in the
1-44 minimum high school program instead of the recommended high school
1-45 program; and
1-46 (4) the procedure for petitioning to have a course
1-47 counted toward the recommended high school program.
1-48 (e) A school district may give notification as required
1-49 under Subsection (d) as part of regular correspondence concerning
1-50 registration and orientation.
1-51 (f) A student may graduate and receive a diploma only if:
1-52 (1) the student successfully completes the curriculum
1-53 requirements identified by the State Board of Education under
1-54 Subsection (a) [board] and complies with Section 39.025(a); or
1-55 (2) the student successfully completes an
1-56 individualized education program developed under Section 29.005.
1-57 (g) [(b)] A school district may issue a certificate of
1-58 course work completion to a student who successfully completes the
1-59 curriculum requirements identified by the State Board of Education
1-60 under Subsection (a) but who fails to comply with Section 39.025(a)
1-61 [perform satisfactorily on the assessment instruments specified by
1-62 Subsection (a)]. A school district may allow a student who
1-63 receives a certificate to participate in a graduation ceremony with
1-64 students receiving high school diplomas.
2-1 (h) [(c)] Each school district shall report the academic
2-2 achievement record of students who have completed a minimum,
2-3 recommended, or advanced high school program on transcript forms
2-4 adopted by the State Board of Education. The transcripts forms
2-5 adopted by the board must be designed to clearly differentiate
2-6 between each of the high school programs and identify whether a
2-7 student received a diploma or a certificate of course work
2-8 completion.
2-9 (i) Subsection (b) applies to students entering the ninth
2-10 grade in the 2004-2005 school year and thereafter. On application
2-11 of a school district, the commissioner may exempt the district from
2-12 the implementation date in this subsection if the commissioner
2-13 finds the requirement results in an undue hardship on the district.
2-14 An exemption under this subsection expires at the end of a period
2-15 determined by the commissioner not to exceed three years. An
2-16 exemption under this subsection is not subject to Section 7.056.
2-17 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-18 * * * * *