AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under current law, Windham School District (WSD) can award a GED, but not a high school diploma. S.B. 1024 authorizes WSD to award high school diplomas, building on their statutory goals of reducing recidivism and increasing the success of former inmates in obtaining and maintaining employment.
As proposed, S.B. 1024 amends current law relating to eligibility for course credit and high school diplomas of students enrolled in educational programs provided by the Windham School District in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
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 Chapter 19, Education Code, by adding Section 19.0043, as follows:
Sec. 19.0043. CREDIT FOR COMPLETION OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS; HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND CERTIFICATE. (a) Requires 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 standards adopted under Section 28.002(c) (requiring the State Board of Education (SBOE), with the direct participation of educators, parents, business and industry representatives, and employers to by rule identify the essential knowledge and skills of each subject of the required curriculum that all students should be able to demonstrate and that will be used in evaluating instructional materials under Chapter 31 and addressed on the assessment instruments required under Subchapter B, Chapter 39).
(b) Authorizes a student to graduate and receive a diploma from a Windham School District educational program if:
(1) the student successfully completes the curriculum requirements identified by SBOE under Section 28.025(a) (requiring SBOE by rule to determine curriculum requirements for the foundation high school program that are consistent with the required curriculum under Section 28.002) and complies with Section 39.025 (Secondary-Level Performance Required); or
(2) the student successfully completes the curriculum requirements under Section 28.025(a) as modified by an individualized education program developed under Section 29.005 (Individualized Education Program).
(c) 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 SBOE under Section 28.025(a) but who fails to comply with Section 39.025.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.