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	Amend CSHB 3 by adding the following appropriately numbered 
SECTION to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill 
accordingly:
	SECTION ____.  Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is 
amended by adding Section 28.0253 to read as follows:
	Sec. 28.0253.  PILOT PROGRAM:  HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS FOR 
STUDENTS WHO DEMONSTRATE EARLY READINESS FOR COLLEGE.  (a)  In this 
section:
		(1)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning 
assigned by Section 61.003.
		(2)  "Research university" means an institution of 
higher education that is designated as a research university under 
the coordinating board's accountability system.
	(b)  A research university that chooses to participate in the 
pilot program shall:
		(1)  not later than September 1 of each year, make 
available on the university's Internet website detailed standards 
for use in the program regarding:
			(A)  the specific competencies that demonstrate a 
student's mastery of each subject area for which the coordinating 
board and the commissioner have adopted college readiness 
standards;
			(B)  the specific competencies that demonstrate a 
student's mastery of a language other than English; and
			(C)  acceptable assessments or other means by 
which a student may demonstrate the student's early readiness for 
college with respect to each subject area and the language 
described by this subdivision, subject to Subsection (c);
		(2)  partner with at least 10 school districts that 
reflect the geographic diversity of this state and the student 
compositions of which reflect the socioeconomic diversity of this 
state; and
		(3)  assist school administrators, school counselors, 
and other educators in each of those school districts in designing 
the specific requirements of and implementing the program in the 
district.
	(c)  The assessments or other means filed by a research 
university under Subsection (b)(1)(C) must be equivalent to the 
assessments or other means the university uses to place students at 
the university in courses that may be credited toward a degree 
requirement.
	(d)  A research university that partners with a school 
district under this section shall enter into an agreement with the 
district under which the university and district agree that the 
district will assess a student's mastery of the subject areas 
described by Subsection (b)(1) and a language other than English in 
accordance with the standards the university filed under Subsection 
(b)(1).  The district may issue a high school diploma to a student 
under the program only if, using the standards, the student 
demonstrates mastery of and early readiness for college in each of 
those subject areas and in a language other than English.
	(e)  A student who receives a high school diploma through the 
pilot program is considered to have completed the recommended high 
school program adopted under Section 28.025(a).  The student is not 
guaranteed admission to any institution of higher education or to 
any academic program at an institution of higher education solely 
on the basis of having received the diploma through the program.
	(f)  A research university that participates in the pilot 
program shall enter into an agreement with an education research 
center established under Section 1.005 to conduct an evaluation  of 
the program with respect to that university and the school 
districts with which the university partners.  Not later than 
January 1, 2013, the education research center shall provide a 
written report of the evaluation to the commissioner and the 
commissioner of higher education and make the report available on 
the center's Internet website.  The report may include an analysis 
of the effects of the program on the university's admissions review 
process.