By: Duncan, Patrick S.B. No. 1365
(In the Senate - Filed March 7, 2013; March 18, 2013, read
first time and referred to Committee on Education; April 2, 2013,
reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 2, 2013, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1365 By: Seliger
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the provision of credit by examination for public
school students.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 25.092, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows:
(a-2) Subsection (a) does not apply to a student who
receives credit by examination for a class as provided by Section
28.023.
SECTION 2. Section 28.023, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 28.023. CREDIT BY EXAMINATION. (a) Using guidelines
established by the State Board of Education, a school district
shall develop or select for board review examinations for
acceleration for each primary school grade level and for credit for
secondary school academic subjects. The guidelines must provide
for the examinations to thoroughly test comprehension of the
information presented in the applicable grade level or subject.
The board shall approve examinations that satisfy board guidelines.
Each district shall select, if available, at least four
board-approved examinations for each subject. If approved by the
board, the examinations selected by a district must include:
(1) advanced placement examinations administered by
the College Board; and
(2) examinations administered through the
College-Level Examination Program.
(b) A school district shall give a student in a primary
grade level credit for a grade level and advance the student one
grade level on the basis of a board-approved examination for
acceleration if:
(1) the student scores in the 80th [90th] percentile
or above on each section of the examination;
(2) a district representative recommends that the
student be advanced; and
(3) the student's parent or guardian gives written
approval of the advancement.
(c) A school district shall give a student in grade level
six or above credit for a subject on the basis of a board-approved
examination for credit in the subject if the student scores in the
80th [90th] percentile or above on the board-approved examination
or if the student achieves a score as provided by Subsection (c-1).
If a student is given credit in a subject on the basis of an
examination, the district shall enter the examination score on the
student's transcript and the student is not required to take an
end-of-course assessment instrument adopted under Section
39.023(c) for that subject.
(c-1) A school district shall give a student in grade level
six or above credit for a subject if the student scores:
(1) a three or higher on a board-approved advanced
placement examination administered by the College Board; or
(2) a scaled score of 60 or higher on a board-approved
examination administered through the College-Level Examination
Program.
(d) Each district shall administer each board-approved
examination selected by the district:
(1) not later than the 30th day after the date the
district receives a written request from a student or the student's
parent or guardian, if the examination is capable of being
administered electronically; or
(2) not fewer [less] than three times each [once a]
year, at times to be determined by the State Board of Education, if
the examination is not capable of being administered
electronically.
(e) Examinations administered under Subsection (d)(1) may
not be administered to a student more than two times each year.
(f) A student may not attempt more than two times to receive
credit for a particular subject on the basis of a board-approved
examination for credit in that subject.
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014
school year.
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, 2013.
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