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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the high school graduation of a student who transfers to |
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a public school in this state after the student's junior year of |
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high school. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 28.025, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-9) to read as follows: |
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(c-9) Notwithstanding Subsection (c), a person may receive |
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a diploma if the person is eligible for a diploma under Section |
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28.02591. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 28.02591 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 28.02591. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AWARDED TO TRANSFER |
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STUDENT ON BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL GRADUATION COMMITTEE REVIEW. (a) |
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This section applies only to a student who: |
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(1) transfers into the public school system of this |
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state after completion of the student's 11th grade year in high |
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school in a different state; and |
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(2) will: |
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(A) be unable, based on the credit awarded to the |
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student by the public school system for coursework completed in a |
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different state, to comply with the curriculum requirements of this |
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state for high school graduation by the end of the student's 12th |
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grade year; or |
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(B) have difficulty complying with the |
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end-of-course assessment instrument requirements for high school |
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graduation imposed under Section 39.025. |
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(b) For each student to whom this section applies, the |
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school district that the student attends shall establish an |
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individual graduation committee at the beginning of the student's |
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12th grade year to determine whether the student may qualify to |
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graduate as provided by this section. A student may not qualify to |
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graduate under this section before the student's 12th grade year. |
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The committee shall be composed of: |
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(1) the principal or principal's designee; |
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(2) the department chair or lead teacher for each |
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subject for which an end-of-course assessment instrument is |
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administered under Section 39.023(c); and |
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(3) the student's parent or person standing in |
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parental relation to the student or the student, if the student is |
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at least 18 years of age. |
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(c) The superintendent of each school district shall |
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establish procedures for the convening of an individual graduation |
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committee under this section. |
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(d) To be eligible to graduate and receive a high school |
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diploma under this section, a student must have: |
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(1) performed satisfactorily on one or more |
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alternative nationally recognized norm-referenced assessment |
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instruments as provided by Sections 39.025(h) and (i); and |
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(2) completed coursework determined by the committee |
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to be sufficient for the award of a high school diploma. |
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(e) In determining whether a student for whom an individual |
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graduation committee is established is qualified to graduate, the |
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committee shall consider: |
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(1) the recommendation of the student's teacher in |
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each course for which the student was not administered an |
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end-of-course assessment instrument; |
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(2) the student's performance on each alternative |
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nationally recognized norm-referenced assessment instrument that |
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the student requests to be considered; |
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(3) the student's overall preparedness for |
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postsecondary success; and |
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(4) any other academic information designated for |
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consideration by the board of trustees of the school district. |
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(f) After considering the criteria under Subsection (e), |
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the individual graduation committee may determine that the student |
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is qualified to graduate. The commissioner by rule shall establish |
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a timeline for making a determination under this subsection. The |
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decision of a committee is final and may not be appealed. |
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(g) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 39.025, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (h) and (i) to read as follows: |
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(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, |
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the commissioner shall allow a student to satisfy the requirements |
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of Subsection (a) and qualify for a high school diploma through |
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satisfactory performance on one or more alternative nationally |
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recognized norm-referenced assessment instruments if the student |
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transfers into the public school system of this state after |
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completion of the student's 11th grade year in high school in a |
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different state and the student receives a recommendation by the |
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student's individual graduation committee under Section 28.02591 |
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that the student qualifies for a high school diploma. |
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(i) For purposes of Subsection (h), the commissioner, in |
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order to ensure that a student described by that subsection may |
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satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a) solely through |
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performance on one or more alternative assessment instruments, |
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shall establish required performance levels for the alternative |
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assessment instrument or instruments that correspond to the |
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performance levels otherwise required under Subsection (a) on the |
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secondary exit-level assessment instruments for English language |
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arts, mathematics, social studies, and science. |
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SECTION 4. Section 28.02591, Education Code, as added by |
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this Act, and Section 39.025, Education Code, as amended by this |
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Act, apply beginning with students enrolled in public high schools |
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in this state as a senior during the 2017-2018 school year. |
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SECTION 5. 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 September 1, 2017. |