SRC-TAG S.B. 1470 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1470
By: West, Royce
Education
6/24/2003
Enrolled

DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, there is a necessity to modify the high school equivalency
program (HSEP) so that it can more effectively  assess a student's
knowledge. The HSEP funding requirement has proven to be a disincentive
for numerous high schools and HSEP fails to ensure accountability because
it lacks performance standards.  S.B. 1470 modifies the high school
equivalency program operated by a school district or open-enrollment
charter school.  

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 29.087, Education Code, as added by Chapter
1514, Acts of the 77th Legislature, Regular Session, 2001, by amending
Subsections (b), (d), and (f) and adding Subsection (b-1), as follows: 

(b)  Authorizes any school district or open-enrollment charter school to
apply for authorization to operate under this section.  Deletes text
prohibiting a school or open-enrollment charter school from applying for
authorization to operate a program under this section unless on May 1,
2001, the district or school was operating a similar program as authorized
by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).  Makes a nonsubstantive change. 

(b-1)  Authorizes a school district or open-enrollment charter school
authorized by the commissioner of education (commissioner) on or before
August 31, 2003, to operate a program under this section to continue to
operate that program in accordance with this section. 

(d)  Provides that a student is eligible to participate in a program
authorized by this section if the student was ordered by a court under
Article 45.054 (Authority to Employ Care Manager for Juvenile Case), Code
of Criminal Procedure, as added by Chapter 1514, Acts of the 77th
legislature, Regular Session, 2001, or by the Texas Youth Commission to
meet certain requirements or if at least two school years have elapsed
since the student first enrolled in ninth grade and the student has
accumulated less than one third, rather than a quarter, of the credits
required to graduate under the minimum graduation requirements of the
district or school. 

(f)  Requires a student participating in a program authorized by this
section to have taken the assessment instrument specified by Section
39.023(a) for grade 9 before entering the program and requires to take
each grade level assessment instruments administered during the period in
which the student is enrolled in the program. Deletes text providing
exit-level assessment instrument under Section 39.025(a).   Deletes text
authorizing the commissioner to authorize a student to take the assessment
instrument required by Section 39.023(a) to be administered to students in
grade 10 instead of the exist-level assessment instrument.   

SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 29.087(o), Education Code (regarding high
school equivalency  programs), as added by Chapter 1514, Acts of the 77th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2001. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.