85R21466 CAE-D
By: VanDeaver H.B. No. 1980
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the high school graduation of a student who transfers to
a public school in this state after the student's junior year of
high school.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.025, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c-9) to read as follows:
(c-9) Notwithstanding Subsection (c), a person may receive
a diploma if the person is eligible for a diploma under Section
28.02591.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 28.02591 to read as follows:
Sec. 28.02591. HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AWARDED TO TRANSFER
STUDENT ON BASIS OF INDIVIDUAL GRADUATION COMMITTEE REVIEW. (a)
This section applies only to a student who:
(1) transfers into the public school system of this
state after completion of the student's 11th grade year in high
school in a different state; and
(2) will:
(A) be unable, based on the credit awarded to the
student by the public school system for coursework completed in a
different state, to comply with the curriculum requirements of this
state for high school graduation by the end of the student's 12th
grade year; or
(B) have difficulty complying with the
end-of-course assessment instrument requirements for high school
graduation imposed under Section 39.025.
(b) For each student to whom this section applies, the
school district that the student attends shall establish an
individual graduation committee at the beginning of the student's
12th grade year to determine whether the student may qualify to
graduate as provided by this section. A student may not qualify to
graduate under this section before the student's 12th grade year.
The committee shall be composed of:
(1) the principal or principal's designee;
(2) the department chair or lead teacher for each
subject for which an end-of-course assessment instrument is
administered under Section 39.023(c); and
(3) the student's parent or person standing in
parental relation to the student or the student, if the student is
at least 18 years of age.
(c) The superintendent of each school district shall
establish procedures for the convening of an individual graduation
committee under this section.
(d) In determining whether a student for whom an individual
graduation committee is established is qualified to graduate, the
committee shall consider:
(1) the recommendation of the student's teacher in
each course for which the student was not administered an
end-of-course assessment instrument;
(2) the student's performance on each:
(A) alternative nationally recognized
norm-referenced assessment instrument that the student requests to
be considered; or
(B) Texas Success Initiative (TSI) assessment
instrument that the student requests to be considered;
(3) the student's overall preparedness for
postsecondary success; and
(4) any other academic information designated for
consideration by the board of trustees of the school district.
(e) After considering the criteria under Subsection (d),
the individual graduation committee may determine that the student
is qualified to graduate. The commissioner by rule shall establish
a timeline for making a determination under this subsection. The
decision of a committee is final and may not be appealed.
(f) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 3. Section 39.025, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (h) and (i) to read as follows:
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,
the commissioner shall allow a student to satisfy the requirements
of Subsection (a) and qualify for a high school diploma through
satisfactory performance on one or more alternative nationally
recognized norm-referenced assessment instruments or Texas Success
Initiative (TSI) assessment instruments if the student transfers
into the public school system of this state after completion of the
student's 11th grade year in high school in a different state and
the student receives a recommendation by the student's individual
graduation committee under Section 28.02591 that the student
qualifies for a high school diploma.
(i) For purposes of Subsection (h), the commissioner, in
order to ensure that a student described by that subsection may
satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a) solely through
performance on one or more alternative nationally recognized
norm-referenced assessment instruments or Texas Success Initiative
(TSI) assessment instruments, shall establish required performance
levels for the assessment instruments that correspond to the
performance levels otherwise required under Subsection (a) on the
secondary exit-level assessment instruments for English language
arts, mathematics, social studies, and science.
SECTION 4. Section 28.02591, Education Code, as added by
this Act, and Section 39.025, Education Code, as amended by this
Act, apply beginning with students enrolled in public high schools
in this state as a senior during the 2017-2018 school year.
SECTION 5. 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.