BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1364
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current law states that a student may not be given credit for a class unless the student is in attendance for at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered. Some school districts have misinterpreted credit to mean high school credit for graduation, but credit actually applies to all grade levels (K-12) and all academic disciplines.
As a result of this confusion, the practice of pulling students from fine arts and other enrichment classes for tutoring on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) has become increasingly widespread—sometimes for as much as half or more of the days that the classes are offered. Students are receiving grades and class credit for courses they do not attend and they are missing out on the valuable knowledge that these courses provide.
As proposed, S.B. 1364 prohibits students in any grade level from K-12 from being given credit or a grade for a class unless the student is in attendance for at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered.
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 the heading to Section 25.092, Education Code, to read as follows:
Sec. 25.092. MINIMUM ATTENDANCE FOR CLASS CREDIT OR GRADE.
SECTION 2. Amends Sections 25.092(a), (a-1), (b), and (d), Education Code, as follows:
(a) Prohibits a student in any grade level from kindergarten through grade 12, except as provided by this section, from being given credit or a grade for a class unless the student is in attendance for at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered. Makes conforming changes.
(a-1) Makes conforming changes.
(b) Makes conforming changes.
(d) Makes conforming changes.
SECTION 3. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.
SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.