79R8158 KKA-D

By:  West, Royce                                                  S.B. No. 936



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to practices of school districts that concern the 
admission process to institutions of higher education.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 28.025(e), Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
	(e)  Each school district shall report the academic 
achievement record of a student in electronic and paper formats
[students who have completed a minimum, recommended, or advanced 
high school program] on a uniform transcript form [forms] adopted 
by the State Board of Education.  The transcript form [forms] 
adopted by the board must be designed to:
		(1)  clearly differentiate between [each of] the 
minimum, recommended, and advanced high school programs and 
identify the program completed by a student;
		(2)  provide information in a standard format 
regarding:             
			(A)  any honors, advanced placement, or 
international baccalaureate courses available at a student's high 
school and which, if any, of those courses the student completed; 
and
			(B)  any college-level courses available to a 
student under a dual credit program provided under an agreement 
between the student's high school and an institution of higher 
education and which, if any, of those courses the student 
completed; and
		(3)  identify whether a student received a diploma or a 
certificate of coursework completion.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 28.0252 to read as follows:
	Sec. 28.0252.  COMPUTATION OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADE POINT 
AVERAGE.  (a)  The commissioner shall develop a standard method of 
computing a student's high school grade point average that provides 
for additional weight to be given to each honors course, advanced 
placement course, international baccalaureate course, or dual 
credit course described by Section 28.025(e)(2)(B) completed by a 
student.
	(b)  A school district may elect to use the standard method 
developed under this section.
	(c)  A school district may elect to use the standard method 
developed under this section to compute the grade point averages 
only for students entering grade nine during or after the 2006-2007 
school year.  This subsection expires September 1, 2009.
	SECTION 3.  (a)  The Texas Education Agency shall conduct a 
study to determine the feasibility of requiring school districts to 
provide high school seniors with an elective class period during 
the school day to enable the student to:
		(1)  research colleges and major areas of study;                              
		(2)  work with guidance counselors in preparing college 
applications, admission essays, and financial aid applications; 
and
		(3)  search for scholarships and financial aid options.                       
	(b)  In conducting the study required by this section, the 
Texas Education Agency shall survey the current practices of school 
districts in this state and determine the best practices relating 
to college application assistance for high school seniors.
	(c)  Not later than December 1, 2006, the Texas Education 
Agency shall submit a report on the results of the study required by 
this section to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the 
legislature.
	SECTION 4.  The State Board of Education shall adopt the 
uniform transcript form required by Section 28.025(e), Education 
Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as practicable after the 
effective date of this Act, and not later than January 1, 2006.  A 
school district shall use the form beginning with the 2006-2007 
school year.
	SECTION 5.  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, 2005.