SRC-JEC, MSY S.B. 1366 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1366
By: Bivins
Education
6/13/2003
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Current Texas law allows students who graduate from an accredited high
school within 36 months to be eligible for a $1000 Early High School
Graduation Scholarship.  S.B. 1366 amends the requirements to require a
student to graduate early with a recommended or advanced diploma in order
to be eligible for the early graduation scholarship.  It also makes
provisions for a student who does not satisfy the curriculum requirements
due only to circumstances out of the student's control. 

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 Section 56.203, Education Code, by amending Subsection
(a) and adding Subsection (b), as follows: 

(a)  Provides that a person must have successfully completed the
recommended or advanced high school program established under Section
28.025, rather than requirements for a public high school diploma, in a
certain time frame in order to be eligible for the Early High School
Graduation Scholarship program. 

(b)  Provides that a person who does not satisfy the curriculum
requirements of Subsection (a)(2) is considered to have satisfied those
requirements if the high school from which the person graduated indicates
on the person's transcript that the person was unable to complete the
appropriate curriculum within the time prescribed by that subsection
solely because necessary courses were unavailable to the person at the
appropriate times in the person's high school career as a result of course
scheduling, lack of enrollment capacity, or another cause not within the
person's control.  

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 28.025, Education Code, by adding Subsections
(g) and (g-1), as follows: 

(g)  Requires the school district, if a student, other than a student
permitted to take courses under the minimum high school program as
provided by Subsection (b), is unable to complete the recommended or
advanced high school program solely because necessary courses were
unavailable to the student at the appropriate times in the student's high
school career as a result of course scheduling, lack of enrollment
capacity, or another cause not within the person's control, to indicate
that fact on the student's transcript form described by Subsection (e). 

(g-1)  Provides that Subsection (g) applies to students entering grade
nine during or after the 2003-2004 school year.  Provides that this
subsection expires January 1, 2004. 

SECTION  3.  Provides that Section 56.203, Education Code, as amended by
this Act, applies only to  a person who enters grade nine during or after
the 2003-2004 school year.  Provides that a person who enters grade nine
before that time is governed by the law as it existed previously.  

SECTION 4.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.