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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to public school assessment, performance standards, and |
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course requirements. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.025(c-5), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(c-5) A student may earn a performance acknowledgment on the |
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student's diploma and transcript by satisfying the requirements for |
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that acknowledgment adopted by the State Board of Education by |
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rule. An acknowledgment under this subsection may be earned: |
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(1) for outstanding performance: |
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(A) in a dual credit course; |
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(B) in bilingualism and biliteracy; |
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(C) on a college advanced placement test or |
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international baccalaureate examination; [or] |
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(D) on an established, valid, reliable, and |
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nationally norm-referenced preliminary college preparation |
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assessment instrument used to measure a student's progress toward |
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readiness for college and the workplace; or |
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(E) on an established, valid, reliable, and |
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nationally norm-referenced assessment instrument used by colleges |
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and universities as part of their undergraduate admissions process |
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[the PSAT, the ACT-Plan, the SAT, or the ACT]; or |
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(2) for earning a state recognized or nationally or |
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internationally recognized business or industry certification or |
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license. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 39.025(a) and (f), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The commissioner shall adopt rules requiring a student |
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in the foundation high school program under Section 28.025 to be |
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administered an [each] end-of-course assessment instrument listed |
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in Section 39.023(c) only for a course in which the student is |
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enrolled and for which an end-of-course assessment instrument is |
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administered. A student is required to achieve a scale score that |
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indicates satisfactory performance, as determined by the |
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commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), on each end-of-course |
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assessment instrument administered to the student [listed under
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Section 39.023(c)]. For each scale score required under this |
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subsection that is not based on a 100-point scale scoring system, |
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the commissioner shall provide for conversion, in accordance with |
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commissioner rule, of the scale score to an equivalent score based |
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on a 100-point scale scoring system. A student may not receive a |
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high school diploma until the student has performed satisfactorily |
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on end-of-course assessment instruments in the manner provided |
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under this subsection. This subsection does not require a student |
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to demonstrate readiness to enroll in an institution of higher |
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education. |
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(f) The commissioner shall by rule adopt a transition plan |
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to implement the amendments made by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), |
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Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, replacing |
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general subject assessment instruments administered at the high |
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school level with end-of-course assessment instruments. The rules |
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must provide for the end-of-course assessment instruments adopted |
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under Section 39.023(c) to be administered beginning with students |
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entering the ninth grade during the 2011-2012 school year. During |
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the period under which the transition to end-of-course assessment |
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instruments is made: |
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(1) for students entering a grade above the ninth |
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grade during the 2011-2012 school year, the commissioner shall |
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retain, administer, and use for purposes of accreditation and other |
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campus and district accountability measures under this chapter the |
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assessment instruments required by Section 39.023(a) or (c), as |
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that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. |
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No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007; and |
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(2) a student subject to Subdivision (1) may not |
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receive a high school diploma unless the student has performed |
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satisfactorily on each required assessment instrument administered |
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under Section 39.023(c) as that section existed before amendment by |
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Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2007[; and
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[(3)
the agency may defer releasing assessment
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instrument questions and answer keys as required by Section
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39.023(e) to the extent necessary to develop additional assessment
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instruments]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 130.008, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsection (g) to read as |
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follows: |
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(f) Except as provided by Subsection (g) [this section], a |
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public school student may not enroll in more than three courses |
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under this section at a junior college if the [junior college does
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not have a] service area of another junior college [that] includes |
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the student's high school. |
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(g) A public school student may enroll in a greater number |
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of courses than provided by Subsection (f) if: |
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(1) each junior college and the school district in |
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which the student is enrolled authorize by agreement the student's |
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enrollment; or |
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(2) the [A] student is enrolled at an early college |
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high school [may enroll in a greater number of courses to the extent
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approved by the commissioner of education]. |
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SECTION 4. The following provisions of the Education Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Section 39.023(o); |
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(2) Section 39.0233(c); |
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(3) Sections 39.025(b-2) and (g); and |
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(4) Section 39.0262. |
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SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the |
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legislative session. |