S.B. 1366 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 1366
By: Bivins
Public Education
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current Texas law permits 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. The bill also
provides for a student who does not satisfy the curriculum requirements
due only to circumstances out of the student's control. 


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department,
institution, or agency. 


ANALYSIS

S.B. 1366 amends the Education Code, by providing 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. 

The bill provides that a person who does not satisfy these curriculum
requirements 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.  

The bill requires the school district, if a student, other than a student
permitted to take courses under the minimum high school program, 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. This provision
applies to students entering grade nine during or after the 2003-2004
school year and expires January 1, 2004. 

The bill 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 and that a person who enters grade nine before that
time is governed by the law as it existed previously.  


EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003.