SRC-TAG S.B. 1076 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1076 78R6596 KKA-DBy: Shapleigh Education 4/4/2003 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, one of the objectives of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's Closing the Gap report is to increase enrollment in institutions of higher education by 500,000 students by the year 2015. In order for Texas universities and colleges to meet this objective, each elementary, middle and high school would need to increase their graduation rate. Furthermore, identifying the different barriers to educational success would help elementary, middle, and high schools to attain the necessary graduation rate. As proposed, S.B. 1076 establishes a pilot project to study educational issues as they apply Closing the Gaps in five districts chosen by the commissioner of education. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 28B, Education Code, by adding Section 28.0252, as follows: Sec. 28.0252. HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION PILOT PROJECT. (a) Requires the commissioner of education (commissioner) to establish a pilot project in five school districts selected by the commissioner under which the Texas Education Agency (TEA) takes certain actions to identify barriers to high school graduation. (b) Requires the pilot project in one of the five school districts, in addition to the requirements described by Subsection (a), to include a focus on dual language immersion programs authorized by Section 28.0051 and the effect of those programs on a student's ability to graduate from high school. (c) Requires TEA, by January 15 of 2005 and 2007, to submit a report to the legislature describing TEA's activities under the pilot project and the recommendation arising from the project. (d) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2007. SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.