85R11583 SRS-D

By: Rodríguez S.B. No. 1657

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of individual graduation committees to satisfy certain public high school graduation requirements for certain individuals who are no longer enrolled in school.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 12.104, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-3) to read as follows:

(b-3) An open-enrollment charter school is subject to the requirement to establish an individual graduation committee under Section 28.02581.

SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 28.02581 to read as follows:

Sec. 28.02581. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AWARDED ON BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL GRADUATION COMMITTEE REVIEW FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NO LONGER ENROLLED STUDENTS. (a) This section applies only to an individual who:

(1) is no longer enrolled in high school;

(2) is under 26 years of age;

(3) successfully completed the curriculum requirements for high school graduation applicable to the individual during the period the individual was enrolled as a student in high school; and

(4) for not more than two subjects, failed to comply with any exit-level assessment instrument performance requirements for assessment instruments administered under Section 39.023(c), as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, and applicable to the individual during the period the individual was enrolled as a student in high school.

(b) For each individual to whom this section applies, the school district that the individual attended during the individual's 12th grade year as a student, on request by the individual, shall establish an individual graduation committee to determine whether the individual may qualify to graduate as provided by this section. The committee shall be composed of:

(1) the principal or principal's designee;

(2) for each exit-level assessment instrument on which the individual failed to perform satisfactorily, a teacher in the applicable subject area;

(3) the department chair or lead teacher supervising the teacher described by Subdivision (2); and

(4) the individual for whom the committee is established.

(c) The commissioner by rule shall establish a procedure for appointing an alternative committee member if a person described by Subsection (b)(1), (2), or (3) is unable to serve. The superintendent of each school district shall establish procedures for the convening of an individual graduation committee.

(d) The school district shall ensure a good faith effort is made to timely notify the individual for whom the individual graduation committee is established of the time and place for convening the committee. The notice must be:

(1) provided in person or by regular mail or e-mail; and

(2) clear and easy to understand.

(e) Notwithstanding any other law, an individual graduation committee established under this section shall recommend additional requirements by which the individual for whom the committee is established may qualify to graduate, including:

(1) additional remediation; and

(2) for each exit-level assessment instrument on which the individual failed to perform satisfactorily:

(A) the completion of a project related to the subject area of the course that demonstrates proficiency in the subject area; or

(B) the preparation of a portfolio of work samples in the subject area of the course, including work samples from the course that demonstrate proficiency in the subject area.

(f) For purposes of Subsection (e), the individual may submit to the individual graduation committee coursework previously completed to satisfy a recommended additional requirement.

(g) In determining whether an individual for whom an individual graduation committee is established is qualified to graduate, the committee shall consider:

(1) any recommendation of the teacher of the individual in a subject area for which the individual failed to perform satisfactorily on an exit-level assessment instrument;

(2) the individual's grade in each course for which the individual failed to perform satisfactorily on an exit-level assessment instrument;

(3) the individual's score on each exit-level assessment instrument on which the individual failed to perform satisfactorily;

(4) the individual's performance on any additional requirements recommended by the committee under Subsection (e);

(5) the number of hours of remediation that the individual has attended, including attendance in and successful completion of a transitional college course in reading or mathematics;

(6) the individual's school attendance rate during the period the individual was enrolled in high school;

(7) the individual's satisfaction of any of the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;

(8) the individual's successful completion of a dual credit course in English, mathematics, science, or social studies;

(9) the individual's successful completion of a high school pre-advanced placement, advanced placement, or international baccalaureate program course in English, mathematics, science, or social studies;

(10) the individual's rating of advanced high on the high school administration of the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System;

(11) the individual's score of 50 or greater on a College-Level Examination Program examination;

(12) the individual's score on the ACT, the SAT, or the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test;

(13) the individual's completion of a sequence of high school courses under a career and technical education program required to attain an industry-recognized credential or certificate;

(14) the individual's overall preparedness for postsecondary success; and

(15) any other academic information designated for consideration by the board of trustees of the school district.

(h) After considering the criteria under Subsection (g), the individual graduation committee may determine that the individual is qualified to graduate. Notwithstanding any other law, an individual for whom an individual graduation committee is established may graduate and receive a high school diploma on the basis of the committee's decision only if the individual successfully completes all additional requirements recommended by the committee under Subsection (e) and the committee's vote is unanimous. The commissioner by rule shall establish a timeline for making a determination under this subsection. This subsection does not create a property interest in graduation. The decision of a committee is final and may not be appealed.

(i) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 3. Section 39.025, Education Code, is amended by adding Subsection (c-2) to read as follows:

(c-2) A school district may not administer an assessment instrument required for graduation administered under this section as this section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312, (S.B. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007. Notwithstanding any other law, a school district may administer to a student who is at least 21 years of age and under 26 years of age and enrolled in high school to complete a high school diploma an end-of-course assessment instrument listed in Section 39.023(c) for any subject that was assessed in an assessment instrument required for graduation that was administered under this section as it existed before amendment by Chapter 1312, (S.B. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, and for which the student failed to perform satisfactorily.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017.