79R2171 SLO-D


By:  Woolley, Chavez, Menendez, Hegar                             H.B. No. 492



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to personal finance education as a requirement for 
graduation from public high school.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.   Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by 
adding Subsection (q) to read as follows:
	(q)  The State Board of Education by rule shall include 
elements relating to personal finance as part of the essential 
knowledge and skill of economics and require personal finance 
education as a condition for  high school graduation.  As a 
condition for accreditation, the board shall require each district 
to provide instruction in personal finance at one or more 
appropriate high school grade levels specified by board rule.
	SECTION 2.   The State Board of Education shall adopt rules 
relating to personal finance education in accordance with Section 
28.002(q), Education Code, as added by this Act, not later than 
March 1, 2006.  The rules shall require each school district, as a 
condition for accreditation, to provide instruction in personal 
finance beginning with the 2006-2007 school year.  In addition, the 
rules shall provide a transition period for requiring personal 
finance education as a condition for high school graduation in a 
manner that does not work an undue hardship on students who are in 
the junior or senior year of high school during the 2006-2007 school 
year.
	SECTION 3.   This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.