78R3070 JSA-D

By:  Castro                                                       H.B. No. 613



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring institutions of higher education to use 
uniform grading methods for each class or section of the same 
course.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 51.9315 to read as follows:
	Sec. 51.9315.  UNIFORM GRADING POLICY.  Each institution of 
higher education shall ensure that a uniform grading policy is used 
to determine the final course grade for each class or section of the 
same or substantially the same course during an academic year.  At a 
minimum, the policy must require that the final grades for each 
section or class of the same course offered during an academic year 
be determined according to the same numeric or other scale.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2003-2004 
academic year, if this Act takes effect on or before August 1, 2003.  
If this Act takes effect after August 1, 2003, this Act applies 
beginning with the 2004 spring semester.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.