SRC-JEC S.B. 1469 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1469
78R7503 KKA-DBy: West
Education
4/9/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) is the new testing and
assessment instrument for Texas public schools and will be administered
next year with consequences for the first time.  The TAKS is designed as
an exit examination for eleventh-graders-- those who fail TAKS will be
kept from graduating from high school.  As proposed, S.B. 1469 prevents
current tenth-graders, taking the test for the first time next year, from
being prohibited from graduating based on a TAKS failure.  The highstakes
non-graduation consequence of a TAKS failure will begin with this year's
ninth-graders, giving them time to prepare for and become familiar with
the TAKS.   

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 39.025, Education Code, by adding Subsection
(c-1), as follows: 

(c-1)  Provides that, notwithstanding Subsection (a) or Section 28.025, a
student in grade 10 during the 2002-2003 school year may not be prohibited
from receiving a high school diploma on the basis of the student's failure
to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument adopted under
Section 39.023(c) (relating to the adoption of secondary exit-level
assessment instruments) that is first administered during the 2002-2003 or
a subsequent school year. Provides that, to receive a high school diploma,
the student may be required to perform satisfactorily on an assessment
instrument adopted under Section 39.023(c) and first administered before
the 2002-2003 school year.  Provides that this subsection expires
September 1, 2006.  

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.