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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the development of applied mathematics and science |
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courses for use in public high schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.015. APPLIED MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE COURSES. (a) |
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The commissioner of education and the commissioner of higher |
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education shall establish vertical teams composed of public school |
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educators, institution of higher education faculty, community or |
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technical college faculty, workforce representatives, and any |
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other person selected by the commissioners to serve on the vertical |
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teams. |
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(b) The vertical teams shall develop and recommend to the |
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State Board of Education for adoption under Section 28.002 the |
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essential knowledge and skills of a course in applied mathematics |
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and a course in applied science for use in public high schools. A |
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course developed under this section must be designed to prepare |
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students for success in college courses and in advanced technical |
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occupations. |
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(c) A student who successfully completes a course developed |
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under this section may use the credit earned in the course toward |
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satisfying the applicable mathematics or science curriculum |
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requirement for the standard high school program under Section |
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28.025. |
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(d) The agency, in consultation with the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board, shall adopt an end-of-course |
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assessment instrument for each course developed under this section |
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to ensure the rigor of the course. A school district shall, in |
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accordance with State Board of Education rules, administer the |
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end-of-course assessment instrument to a student enrolled in a |
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course developed under this section. Each school district shall |
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adopt a policy that requires a student's performance on the |
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end-of-course assessment instrument to account for 15 percent of |
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the student's final grade for the course. A student's performance |
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on an end-of-course assessment instrument administered under this |
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subsection is not subject to the graduation requirements |
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established under Section 39.025. |
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(e) The agency, in coordination with the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board, shall adopt a series of optional |
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questions to be included in an end-of-course assessment instrument |
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administered under Subsection (d) to be used for purposes of |
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Section 51.3062. The optional questions must be developed in a |
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manner consistent with any college readiness standards adopted |
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under Sections 39.113 and 51.3062. A student's performance on an |
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optional question adopted under this subsection may not be used to |
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determine the student's performance on an end-of-course assessment |
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instrument. |
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(f) The State Board of Education shall adopt instructional |
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materials for a course developed under this section in accordance |
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with Chapter 31. The instructional materials must include |
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technology resources that enhance the effectiveness of the course |
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and draw on established best practices. |
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(g) Not later than October 1, 2008, the State Board of |
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Education shall adopt essential knowledge and skills for each |
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course developed under this section. The State Board of Education |
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shall make each course developed under this section and the related |
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instructional materials available to school districts beginning |
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with the 2010-2011 school year. As required by Subsection (d), a |
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school district shall adopt a policy requiring a student's |
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performance on an end-of-course assessment instrument administered |
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under that subsection to account for 15 percent of the student's |
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grade for a course developed under this section beginning with the |
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2011-2012 school year. This subsection expires September 1, 2012. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 28.025(a), (b), (e), and (g), Education |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The State Board of Education by rule shall determine |
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curriculum requirements for the standard [minimum], recommended, |
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and advanced high school programs that are consistent with the |
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required curriculum under Section 28.002. |
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(b) A school district shall ensure that each student enrolls |
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in the courses necessary to complete the curriculum requirements |
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identified by the State Board of Education under Subsection (a) for |
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the recommended or advanced high school program unless the student, |
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the student's parent or other person standing in parental relation |
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to the student, and a school counselor or school administrator |
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agree that the student should be permitted to take courses under the |
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standard [minimum] high school program. |
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(e) Each school district shall report the academic |
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achievement record of students who have completed a standard |
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[minimum], recommended, or advanced high school program on |
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transcript forms adopted by the State Board of Education. The |
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transcript forms adopted by the board must be designed to clearly |
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differentiate between each of the high school programs and identify |
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whether a student received a diploma or a certificate of coursework |
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completion. |
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(g) If a student, other than a student permitted to take |
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courses under the standard [minimum] high school program as |
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provided by Subsection (b), is unable to complete the recommended |
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or advanced high school program solely because necessary courses |
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were unavailable to the student at the appropriate times in the |
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student's high school career as a result of course scheduling, lack |
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of enrollment capacity, or another cause not within the student's |
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control, the school district shall indicate that fact on the |
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student's transcript form described by Subsection (e). |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |