2015S0010-4 11/07/14
By: Seliger S.B. No. 149
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of individual graduation committees for
certain high school students.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 39.025(a), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The commissioner shall adopt rules requiring a student
in the foundation high school program under Section 28.025 to be
administered each end-of-course assessment instrument listed in
Section 39.023(c). A student is required to achieve a scale score
that indicates satisfactory performance, as determined by the
commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), on each end-of-course
assessment instrument listed under Section 39.023(c). For each
scale score required under this subsection that is not based on a
100-point scale scoring system, the commissioner shall provide for
conversion, in accordance with commissioner rule, of the scale
score to an equivalent score based on a 100-point scale scoring
system. A student may not receive a high school diploma until the
student has performed satisfactorily on end-of-course assessment
instruments in the manner provided under this subsection or has
qualified for graduation under Section 39.0251. This subsection
does not require a student to demonstrate readiness to enroll in an
institution of higher education.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 39, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 39.0251 to read as follows:
Sec. 39.0251. INDIVIDUAL GRADUATION COMMITTEE.
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), for each student who
fails to perform satisfactorily on an end-of-course assessment
instrument a second time, the school district or open-enrollment
charter school that the student attends shall establish an
individual graduation committee to determine whether the student
qualifies to graduate under this section. The committee shall be
composed of:
(1) the principal or principal's designee;
(2) the teacher of the course of the assessment
instrument on which the student failed to perform satisfactorily;
(3) the student's school counselor; and
(4) the student's parent or guardian.
(b) If a student fails to perform satisfactorily on an
end-of-course assessment for either Algebra I or English II a
second time but receives a score of "proficient" on the Texas
Success Initiative (TSI) diagnostic assessment for that subject,
the student shall be considered to have performed satisfactorily on
that end-of-course assessment instrument and shall receive credit
for the end-of-course assessment for that course. If a student
qualifies to graduate after receiving credit for an end-of-course
assessment instrument under this subsection, an individual
graduation committee shall not be established for the student.
(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules to determine who may
serve as an alternative committee member in the event that a person
described by Subsection (a) is unable to serve. The superintendent
of each school district and the chief administrative officer of
each open-enrollment charter school shall establish procedures for
the convening of individual graduation committees.
(d) The school district or open-enrollment charter school
shall notify the student's parent or guardian of the time and place
for convening the individual graduation committee and the purpose
of the committee. The notice must be provided either in person or
by regular mail, be clear and easy to understand, and be written in
English or in the parent or guardian's native language.
(e) The individual graduation committee shall compute the
student's Subject Core Composite Course Average for each core
subject. The Subject Core Composite Course Average of a subject is
computed by averaging the grades of each course the student
completed within each core subject. The core subjects are:
(1) English, which consists of:
(A) English I;
(B) English II;
(C) English III; and
(D) English IV or an approved substitute;
(2) mathematics, which consists of:
(A) Algebra I;
(B) geometry;
(C) Algebra II, a course equivalent to Algebra
II, or math models; and
(D) an approved fourth year math course;
(3) science, which consists of either:
(A) courses in:
(i) biology;
(ii) chemistry; and
(iii) physics or an approved substitute; or
(B) courses in:
(i) biology; and
(ii) integrated physics and chemistry; and
(4) social studies, which consists of:
(A) world geography;
(B) world history;
(C) United States history; and
(D) either:
(i) government; or
(ii) economics.
(f) A student is qualified to graduate if the student's
Subject Core Composite Course Average for each core subject
described by Subsection (e) is 70 percent or greater, the student
meets the requirements of Subsection (j), and the student satisfies
at least three of the following criteria:
(1) the student successfully completes a dual credit
course in:
(A) English;
(B) mathematics;
(C) science; or
(D) social studies;
(2) the student successfully achieves college
readiness standards on the:
(A) ACT;
(B) SAT;
(C) PSAT;
(D) ACT Aspire; or
(E) Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college
readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education
Coordinating Board;
(3) the student successfully completes a high school
advanced placement, pre-advanced placement, or international
baccalaureate program course in:
(A) English;
(B) mathematics;
(C) science; or
(D) social studies;
(4) the student receives a rating of "advanced high"
on the most recent high school administration of the Texas English
Language Proficiency Assessment System;
(5) the student successfully completes three foreign
language courses;
(6) the student receives a career and technical
education certification;
(7) the student receives a score of 50 or greater on a
College-Level Examination Program examination; or
(8) the student successfully completes a transitional
college course in reading or mathematics.
(g) If the student does not qualify to graduate under
Subsections (e) and (f), the individual graduation committee may
recommend additional measures by which the student may qualify,
including:
(1) additional remediation;
(2) the completion of a project related to the
relevant subject area; or
(3) the preparation of a portfolio of the student's
work in the relevant subject area, including work samples from the
course for which the student did not pass the end-of-course
assessment instrument.
(h) In determining whether a student described by
Subsection (g) is qualified to graduate, the individual graduation
committee shall consider:
(1) the recommendation of the student's teacher in
each relevant course;
(2) the student's grade in each relevant course;
(3) the student's score on the end-of-course
assessment instrument on which the student failed to perform
satisfactorily;
(4) the student's performance on any additional
measures recommended by the committee under Subsection (g);
(5) the number of hours of remediation that the
student has already attended, including attendance of a college
preparatory course required under Section 39.025(b-2), if
applicable;
(6) the student's school attendance rate;
(7) the student's satisfaction of the Texas Success
Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
(8) the student's overall preparedness for
postsecondary success; and
(9) any other necessary academic information as
determined by the local school board or open-enrollment charter
school, as applicable.
(i) After considering the criteria under Subsections (h)
and (j), the individual graduation committee may determine that the
student is qualified to graduate. A student may graduate on the
basis of the committee's decision only if the student has
successfully completed all additional measures recommended by the
committee under Subsection (g) 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.
(j) In order to be eligible to graduate and receive a high
school diploma under this section, the student must have:
(1) achieved an overall minimum grade point average of
2.0 on a scale of 4.0, or the equivalent; and
(2) received a passing grade in all courses required
for graduation.
(k) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2014-2015
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, 2015.