BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 2033

By: Nelson

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There have been instances in which teachers have reported that local school district officials have required them to assign minimum passing grades regardless of student performance on assignments in order to reduce student course failures and their impact on district dropout rates. 

C.S.S.B. 2033 requires a school district to adopt a grading policy, including provisions for the assignment of grades on class assignments and examinations, before each school year.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.S.B. 2033 amends the Education Code to require a school district to adopt a grading policy, including provisions for the assignment of grades on class assignments and examinations, before each school year. The bill requires a district grading policy to require a classroom teacher to assign a grade that reflects the student's relative mastery of an assignment, prohibits the policy from requiring a classroom teacher to assign a minimum grade for an assignment without regard to the student's quality of work, and authorizes the policy to allow a student a reasonable opportunity to make up or redo a class assignment or examination for which the student received a failing grade.

C.S.S.B. 2033 makes its provisions applicable beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 2033 adds a provisions not in the original authorizing a school district grading policy to allow a student a reasonable opportunity to make up or redo a class assignment or examination for which the student received a failing grade.