AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
S.B. 681 allows Dallas Independent School District to create a pilot program to address both career readiness and expanded early childhood education simultaneously. The proposed pilot program will allow for some students to graduate at the end of 11th grade and proceed directly into a career preparation program, shifting the portion of the weighted average daily attendance used to fund the education of those 12th grade students to prekindergarten students.
As proposed, S.B. 681 amends current law relating to a pilot program for a three-year high school diploma plan and cost-neutral expansion of full-day prekindergarten programs.
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 Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, by adding Section 28.0255, as follows:
Sec. 28.0255. PILOT PROGRAM: THREE-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA PLAN. (a) Defines "certificate program," "public junior college," "public state college," and "public technical institute" in this section.
(b) Provides that 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) Authorizes a school district to which this section applies 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. Requires that the program:
(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) Requires that participation by a student in the program be voluntary, with approval of the student's parent. Authorizes a student who agrees to participate in the program to, on request, discontinue participation and resume taking courses under the minimum, recommended, or advanced high school program.
(e) Requires the school district, notwithstanding Section 28.025 (High School Diploma and Certificate; Academic Achievement Record), to specify the curriculum requirements for receiving a high school diploma under the program. Requires that the curriculum requirements 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) Requires the school district to submit the proposed curriculum requirements to the State Board of Education (SBOE) for comment and the commissioner for education (commissioner) for approval. Prohibits the district from implementing the program before obtaining the commissioner's approval of the proposed curriculum requirements.
(g) Entitles a student 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 (EOC) assessment instruments listed under Section 39.023(c) (relating to the requirement of the Texas Education Agency adopting EOC assessment instruments for certain secondary-level courses)for courses in which the student was enrolled.
(h) Requires the commissioner, for purposes of Subsection (g)(2), to determine the level of satisfactory performance on applicable EOC assessment instruments administered to a student.
(i) 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 the program from the minimum, recommended, and advanced high school programs.
(j) Exempts a student who has received a diploma under the program from the compulsory school attendance requirements under Section 25.085 (Compulsory School Attendance).
(k) Provides that to the extent this section conflicts with any other provision of this code or rule adopted under this code, this section prevails.
(l) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, by adding Section 42.2526, as follows:
Sec. 42.2526. ADJUSTMENT FOR DISTRICT OPERATING PILOT PROGRAM. (a) Provides that this section applies only to a school district operating a pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255.
(b) 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 authorized by Section 28.0255 and continuing for every subsequent school year that the district operates the pilot program, to provide funding for the district's prekindergarten program under Section 29.153 (Free Prekindergarten for Certain Children) 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) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2013.