BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1005

By: Campbell

Public Education

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to interested parties, a certain subset of students is unable to use the SAT or the ACT as a secondary exit-level test to receive a high school diploma, which compels the maintenance of the secondary exit-level test despite it having been replaced. S.B. 1005 seeks to address this issue by giving the commissioner of education the flexibility to designate an alternate test for these students, thus freeing the commissioner from having to maintain and administer the secondary exit-level test.

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

S.B. 1005 amends the Education Code to include students repeating ninth grade during the
2011-2012 school year among those for whom the commissioner of education is required to retain, administer, and use for purposes of accreditation and other campus and district accountability measures the secondary exit-level tests required before being replaced by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007. The bill authorizes such a student and a student entering a grade above the ninth grade during the 2011-2012 school year to receive a high school diploma based on satisfactory performance on the SAT or the ACT. The bill requires the commissioner to establish satisfactory performance levels for the SAT and the ACT that are equivalent in rigor to the performance level required to be met by a student on a secondary exit-level test, as that requirement existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, that qualify an applicable student to receive a high school diploma. The bill expressly does not require the commissioner after September 1, 2017, to maintain and administer secondary exit‑level tests.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.