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.