BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 618

By: White, James

Corrections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that despite the Windham School District's authority to establish and operate schools at the various facilities of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, the district cannot distribute high school diplomas to younger offenders who are relatively close to graduating from high school. H.B. 618 seeks to remedy this situation.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

H.B. 618 amends the Education Code to require a school district to grant credit to a student toward the academic, career and technology, or other course requirements for high school graduation for courses the student successfully completes in the Windham School District educational programs, provided that the completed courses meet the essential knowledge and skills standards adopted by the State Board of Education (SBOE). The bill authorizes a student to graduate and receive a diploma from a Windham School District educational program if the student successfully completes the curriculum requirements identified by the SBOE for the foundation high school program and complies with end-of-course test performance requirements or if the student successfully completes such curriculum requirements as modified by an individualized education program developed for the student in a special education program. The bill authorizes a Windham School District educational program to issue a certificate of coursework completion to a student who successfully completes the curriculum requirements identified by the SBOE for the foundation high school program but who fails to comply with the end-of-course test performance requirements.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.