BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1005
	By: Campbell
	Education
	7/12/2017
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 1005 allows more individuals to use the ACT or SAT as substitute assessments for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exit-level exam. The bill would give the commissioner of education flexibility to designate an alternate assessment for certain students to use to graduate from high school. The amendment would also clarify that these students would not be required to meet current performance standards, but rather a standard that is equivalent to what existed prior to the 2007-2008 school year. Currently, TAKS is administered to students previously enrolled in grade 10, grade 11, or grade 12 in the 2011-2012 school year, or repeated grade 9 in the 2011-2012 school year, to qualify for a high school diploma. 

S.B. 1005 amends current law relating to the use of certain assessment instruments as secondary exit-level assessment instruments to allow certain public school students to receive a high school diploma.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the commissioner of education is modified in SECTION 1� (Section 39.025, Education Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 39.025, Education Code, by amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsections (f-1) and (f-2), as follows:

(f) Requires that the rules adopted by the commissioner of education (commissioner) provide for the adopted end-of-course assessment instruments to be administered beginning with students enrolled in the ninth grade for the first time during the 2011-2012 school year, rather than students entering the ninth grade during the 2011-2012 school year. Provides that during the period under which the transition to end-of-course assessment instruments is made:

(1) includes students repeating ninth grade during the 2011-2012 school year among students to whom this subdivision applies; and

(2) prohibits a student subject to Subdivision (1) from receiving a high school diploma unless the student has performed satisfactorily on the SAT, the ACT, the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) diagnostic assessment, and the current assessment instrument or instruments administered for graduation purposes as provided by Subsection (f-1) or on each required assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023(c) (relating to requiring the Texas Education Agency to adopt end-of-course assessment instruments for certain secondary-level courses), rather than unless the student has performed satisfactorily on each required assessment administered under Section 39.023(c).�

(f-1) Requires the commissioner to establish satisfactory performance levels for the SAT, the ACT, the TSI diagnostic assessment, and the current assessment instrument or instruments administered for graduation purposes that are equivalent in rigor to the performance level required to be met under Subsection (a) (relating to requiring the commissioner to adopt rules requiring a student in the foundation high school program to be administered a certain end-of-course assessment instrument), as that subsection existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, that qualify a student subject to Subsection (f)(1) to receive a high school diploma. Provides that the commissioner, notwithstanding Subsection (f), is not required after September 1, 2017, to maintain and administer assessment instruments administered under Section 39.023(c), as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007.

(f-2) Requires a school district to determine which assessment or assessments described by Subsection (f-1) qualify a student subject to Subsection (f)(1) to receive a high school diploma from the district.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2017.