BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center                                                                                                      S.B. 1517

                                                                                                                                            By: Janek

                                                                                                                                            Education

                                                                                                                                              8/6/2007

                                                                                                                                              Enrolled

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The "No-Pass No-Play" statute was designed to prioritize the competing interests of high school academic performance and athletic competition. The statute requires a student participating in sports or an extra curricular activity to be suspended from the activity upon receiving a failing grade. The statute also authorizes school districts to exempt certain courses from the requirements.  Currently, many school districts utilize their ability to exempt courses, which vary in different school districts, while others do not.

 

S.B. 1517 extends the requirements of the "No-Pass No-Play" statute to honors, advanced placement, international baccalaureate, and dual credit courses in English, language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, economics, or a language other than English.

 

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 33.081, Education  Code, by amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsection (d-1), as follows:

 

(c)  Requires the suspension of a student who is enrolled in a school district in this state or who participates in a University Interscholastic League (UIL) competition from participation in any extracurricular activity sponsored or sanctioned by the school district or the UIL after a grade evaluation period in which the student received a grade lower than the equivalent of 70 on a scale of 100 in any academic class other than a course described by Subsection (d-1), rather than any academic class other than an identified honors or advanced class. 

 

(d)  Makes a conforming change.

 

(d-1)  Provides that Subsections (c) and (d) do not apply to an advanced placement or international baccalaureate course or to an honors or dual credit course in certain subject areas.  Requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA), on a biennial basis, to review courses described by this subsection to determine if other courses should be excluded from the requirement that a student be suspended from participation in an extracurricular activity under Subsection (c).  Requires TEA to report the findings under this subsection to the legislature not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year.

 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective to the 2007-2008 school year.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.