BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1122

By: Johnson

Public Education

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties have raised concerns that many Texas high school graduates enter college unprepared, while noting that participation in prekindergarten programs is linked to successful college preparedness. C.S.H.B. 1122 aims to advance participation in prekindergarten programs to address the problem of college preparedness by implementing a pilot program for a three-year high school diploma plan and cost-neutral expansion of full-day prekindergarten programs.

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.H.B. 1122 amends the Education Code to authorize a school district with an enrollment of more than 150,000 students and located primarily in a county that has a population of 2.2 million or more and that is adjacent to a county with a population of more than 600,000 to develop and implement a pilot program for students who wish to obtain a high school diploma after completion of three years of secondary school attendance as an alternative to the traditional four-year period of attendance. The bill requires the program to be designed to serve the educational needs of students who do not anticipate immediate enrollment in a four-year college or university after graduation from high school and to include partnerships between the school district and public postsecondary institutions in Texas offering academic or technical education or vocational training under a certificate program or an associate degree program to facilitate the prompt enrollment of students in those institutions after high school graduation under the program.

C.S.H.B. 1122 requires participation by a student in the program to be voluntary, with the approval of the student's parent, and authorizes a student who agrees to participate to, on request, discontinue participation and resume taking courses under a high school program based on a traditional four-year period of attendance.

C.S.H.B. 1122 requires the school district to specify the curriculum requirements for receiving a high school diploma under the program and requires the curriculum requirements to ensure that a student who graduates under the program possesses sufficient knowledge and skills in English language arts and mathematics to be capable of performing successfully in public junior college-level courses. The bill requires the school district to submit the proposed curriculum requirements to the State Board of Education for comment and to the commissioner of education for approval and prohibits the district from implementing the program before obtaining such approval.

C.S.H.B. 1122 entitles a student to a high school diploma if the student successfully complies with the curriculum requirements and performs satisfactorily on end-of-course tests for courses in which the student was enrolled and for which such end-of-course tests are required. The bill requires the commissioner to determine the level of such satisfactory performance; requires the school district to report the academic achievement record of students who have completed the program on a transcript that clearly identifies the program and distinguishes it from the other high school programs based on a traditional four-year period of attendance; exempts a student who has received a diploma under the program from compulsory school attendance requirements; and specifies that the bill's provisions prevail to the extent they conflict with any other provision of or rule adopted under  the Education Code.

C.S.H.B. 1122 requires the commissioner, beginning with the first school year that follows the first school year in which students receive high school diplomas under the pilot program and continuing for every subsequent school year that the district operates the program, to provide funding for the district's free prekindergarten program on a full-day basis for a number of prekindergarten students equal to twice the number of students who received a high school diploma under the program during the preceding school year. The bill's provisions expire September 1, 2023.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1122 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and highlighted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED	HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 28.0255 to read as follows: Sec. 28.0255. PILOT PROGRAM: THREE-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA PLAN. (a) In this section, "certificate program," "public junior college," "public state college," and "public technical institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. (b) This section applies only to a school district: (1) with an enrollment of more than 150,000 students; and (2) located primarily in a county that has a population of 2.2 million or more and that is adjacent to a county with a population of more than 600,000. (c) A school district to which this section applies may develop and implement a pilot program for students who wish to obtain a high school diploma after completion of three years of secondary school attendance as an alternative to the traditional four-year period of attendance. The program must: (1) be designed to serve the educational needs of students who do not anticipate immediate enrollment in a four-year college or university after graduation from high school; and (2) include partnerships between the school district and public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, and any other public postsecondary institutions in this state offering academic or technical education or vocational training under a certificate program or an associate degree program to facilitate the prompt enrollment of students in those institutions after high school graduation under the program. (d) Participation by a student in the program must be voluntary, with approval of the student's parent. A student who agrees to participate in the program may, on request, discontinue participation and resume taking courses under the minimum, recommended, or advanced high school program. (e) Notwithstanding Section 28.025, the school district shall specify the curriculum requirements for receiving a high school diploma under the program. The curriculum requirements must ensure that a student who graduates under the program possesses sufficient knowledge and skills in English language arts and mathematics to be capable of performing successfully in public junior college-level courses. (f) The school district shall submit the proposed curriculum requirements to the State Board of Education for comment and the commissioner for approval. The district may not implement the program before obtaining the commissioner's approval of the proposed curriculum requirements. (g) A student is entitled to a high school diploma if the student: (1) successfully complies with the curriculum requirements specified under Subsection (e); and (2) performs satisfactorily, as determined by the commissioner under Subsection (h), on end-of-course assessment instruments listed under Section 39.023(c) for courses in which the student was enrolled. (h) For purposes of Subsection (g)(2), the commissioner shall determine the level of satisfactory performance on applicable end-of-course assessment instruments administered to a student. (i) The school district shall report the academic achievement record of students who have completed the program on a transcript that clearly identifies the program and distinguishes the program from the minimum, recommended, and advanced high school programs. (j) A student who has received a diploma under the program is exempt from the compulsory school attendance requirements under Section 25.085. (k) To the extent this section conflicts with any other provision of this code or rule adopted under this code, this section prevails. (l) This section expires September 1, 2023.	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 28.0255 to read as follows: Sec. 28.0255. PILOT PROGRAM: THREE-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA PLAN. (a) In this section, "certificate program," "public junior college," "public state college," and "public technical institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. (b) This section applies only to a school district: (1) with an enrollment of more than 150,000 students; and (2) located primarily in a county that has a population of 2.2 million or more and that is adjacent to a county with a population of more than 600,000. (c) A school district to which this section applies may develop and implement a pilot program for students who wish to obtain a high school diploma after completion of three years of secondary school attendance as an alternative to the traditional four-year period of attendance. The program must: (1) be designed to serve the educational needs of students who do not anticipate immediate enrollment in a four-year college or university after graduation from high school; and (2) include partnerships between the school district and public junior colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, and any other public postsecondary institutions in this state offering academic or technical education or vocational training under a certificate program or an associate degree program to facilitate the prompt enrollment of students in those institutions after high school graduation under the program. (d) Participation by a student in the program must be voluntary, with approval of the student's parent. A student who agrees to participate in the program may, on request, discontinue participation and resume taking courses under a high school program based on a traditional four-year period of attendance. (e) Notwithstanding Section 28.025, the school district shall specify the curriculum requirements for receiving a high school diploma under the program. The curriculum requirements must ensure that a student who graduates under the program possesses sufficient knowledge and skills in English language arts and mathematics to be capable of performing successfully in public junior college-level courses. (f) The school district shall submit the proposed curriculum requirements to the State Board of Education for comment and the commissioner for approval. The district may not implement the program before obtaining the commissioner's approval of the proposed curriculum requirements. (g) A student is entitled to a high school diploma if the student: (1) successfully complies with the curriculum requirements specified under Subsection (e); and (2) performs satisfactorily, as determined by the commissioner under Subsection (h), on end-of-course assessment instruments listed under Section 39.023(c) for courses in which the student was enrolled. (h) For purposes of Subsection (g)(2), the commissioner shall determine the level of satisfactory performance on applicable end-of-course assessment instruments administered to a student. (i) The school district shall report the academic achievement record of students who have completed the program on a transcript that clearly identifies the program and distinguishes the program from the other high school programs based on a traditional four-year period of attendance. (j) A student who has received a diploma under the program is exempt from the compulsory school attendance requirements under Section 25.085. (k) To the extent this section conflicts with any other provision of this code or rule adopted under this code, this section prevails. (l) This section expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 42.2526 to read as follows: Sec. 42.2526. ADJUSTMENT FOR DISTRICT OPERATING PILOT PROGRAM. (a) This section applies only to a school district operating a pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255. (b) Beginning with the first school year that follows the first school year in which students receive high school diplomas under the pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255 and continuing for every subsequent school year that the district operates the pilot program, the commissioner shall provide funding for the district's prekindergarten program under Section 29.153 on a full-day basis for a number of prekindergarten students equal to twice the number of students who received a high school diploma under the pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255 during the preceding school year. (c) This section expires September 1, 2023.	SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.	SECTION 3. Same as introduced version.