H.B. No. 1122
AN ACT
relating to a pilot program for a three-year high school diploma
plan and cost-neutral expansion of full-day prekindergarten
programs.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.0255 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.0255. PILOT PROGRAM: THREE-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL
DIPLOMA PLAN. (a) In this section, "certificate program," "public
junior college," "public state college," and "public technical
institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003.
(b) This section applies only to a school district:
(1) with an enrollment of more than 150,000 students;
and
(2) located primarily in a county that has a
population of 2.2 million or more and that is adjacent to a county
with a population of more than 600,000.
(c) A school district to which this section applies may
develop and implement a pilot program for students who wish to
obtain a high school diploma after completion of three years of
secondary school attendance as an alternative to the traditional
four-year period of attendance. The program must include
partnerships between the school district and public junior
colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, and
any other public postsecondary institutions in this state offering
academic or technical education or vocational training under a
certificate program or an associate degree program to facilitate
the prompt enrollment of students in those institutions after high
school graduation under the program.
(d) Participation by a student in the program must be
voluntary, with approval of the student's parent. A student who
agrees to participate in the program may, on request, discontinue
participation and resume taking courses under a high school program
based on a traditional four-year period of attendance.
(e) Notwithstanding Section 28.025, the school district
shall specify the curriculum requirements for receiving a high
school diploma under the program. The curriculum requirements must
ensure that a student who graduates under the program possesses
sufficient knowledge and skills in English language arts and
mathematics to be capable of performing successfully in public
junior college-level courses.
(f) The school district shall submit to the commissioner for
approval the district's proposal regarding the scope of the program
and the program curriculum requirements. The school district shall
also submit the proposed curriculum requirements to the State Board
of Education for comment. The district may not implement the
program before obtaining the commissioner's approval of the scope
of the program and the program curriculum requirements.
(g) A student is entitled to a high school diploma if the
student:
(1) successfully complies with the curriculum
requirements specified under Subsection (e); and
(2) performs satisfactorily, as determined by the
commissioner under Subsection (h), on end-of-course assessment
instruments listed under Section 39.023(c) for courses in which the
student was enrolled.
(h) For purposes of Subsection (g)(2), the commissioner
shall determine the level of satisfactory performance on applicable
end-of-course assessment instruments administered to a student.
(i) The school district shall report the academic
achievement record of students who have completed the program on a
transcript that clearly identifies the program and distinguishes
the program from the other high school programs based on a
traditional four-year period of attendance.
(j) A student who has received a diploma under the program
is exempt from the compulsory school attendance requirements under
Section 25.085.
(k) To the extent this section conflicts with any other
provision of this code or rule adopted under this code, this section
prevails.
(l) This section expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 42.2526 to read as follows:
Sec. 42.2526. ADJUSTMENT FOR DISTRICT OPERATING PILOT
PROGRAM. (a) This section applies only to a school district
operating a pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255.
(b) Beginning with the first school year that follows the
first school year in which students receive high school diplomas
under the pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255 and
continuing for every subsequent school year that the district
operates the pilot program, the commissioner shall provide funding
for the district's prekindergarten program under Section 29.153 on
a full-day basis for a number of prekindergarten students equal to
twice the number of students who received a high school diploma
under the pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255 during the
preceding school year.
(c) This section expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1122 was passed by the House on May 8,
2013, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 18, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 1122 on May 22, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 128, Nays 12,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1122 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 24, Nays
7.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor