By Truan S.B. No. 1428
77R7436 ESH-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the requirements for high school graduation.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 28.025, Education Code, is amended to read
1-5 as follows:
1-6 Sec. 28.025. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND CERTIFICATE; ACADEMIC
1-7 ACHIEVEMENT RECORD. (a) The State Board of Education by rule shall
1-8 determine curriculum requirements for the minimum, recommended, and
1-9 advanced high school programs that are consistent with the required
1-10 curriculum under Section 28.002. A student may graduate and
1-11 receive a diploma only if:
1-12 (1) the student successfully completes the curriculum
1-13 requirements identified by the board and:
1-14 (A) complies with Section 39.025(a); or
1-15 (B) meets the alternative graduation criteria
1-16 prescribed under Subsection (b); or
1-17 (2) the student successfully completes an
1-18 individualized education program developed under Section 29.005.
1-19 (b) The commissioner by rule shall prescribe alternative
1-20 graduation criteria that a student may meet to graduate and receive
1-21 a diploma without complying with Section 39.025(a). The
1-22 alternative graduation criteria must include a student's:
1-23 (1) grade point average in grades 9-12;
1-24 (2) 12th grade class ranking;
2-1 (3) performance on the individual assessment
2-2 instruments specified in Section 39.025(a);
2-3 (4) combined scores on the assessment instruments
2-4 specified in Section 39.025(a); and
2-5 (5) overall academic performance in grades 9-12, as
2-6 evaluated by two or more of the student's teachers.
2-7 (c) A committee composed of the student's high school
2-8 principal or the principal's designee and two teachers in the
2-9 student's school district who teach at the high school level shall
2-10 determine whether a student who has not complied with Section
2-11 39.025(a) has met the alternative graduation criteria prescribed
2-12 under Subsection (b). The commissioner shall adopt rules relating
2-13 to the selection and operation of a committee under this
2-14 subsection, including the method by which the committee must notify
2-15 the student and the student's high school registrar, or the person
2-16 performing the duties of a registrar, of the committee's decision.
2-17 (d) A school district may issue a certificate of coursework
2-18 completion to a student who successfully completes the curriculum
2-19 requirements identified by the State Board of Education under
2-20 Subsection (a) but who fails to comply with Section 39.025(a) or
2-21 the alternative graduation criteria under Subsection (b) [perform
2-22 satisfactorily on the assessment instruments specified by
2-23 Subsection (a)]. A school district may allow a student who
2-24 receives a certificate to participate in a graduation ceremony with
2-25 students receiving high school diplomas.
2-26 (e) [(c)] Each school district shall report the academic
2-27 achievement record of students who have completed a minimum,
3-1 recommended, or advanced high school program on transcript forms
3-2 adopted by the State Board of Education. The transcript forms
3-3 adopted by the board must be designed to clearly differentiate
3-4 between each of the high school programs and identify whether a
3-5 student received a diploma or a certificate of coursework
3-6 completion.
3-7 SECTION 2. (a) Section 28.025, Education Code, as amended by
3-8 this Act, applies beginning with the 2002-2003 school year.
3-9 (b) Not later than June 1, 2002, the commissioner of
3-10 education shall adopt rules as required by Sections 28.025(b) and
3-11 (c), Education Code, as amended by this Act.
3-12 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.