By: Campbell S.B. No. 1005
(Deshotel)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the use of the SAT or the ACT as a secondary exit-level
assessment instrument to allow certain public school students to
receive a high school diploma.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 39.025, Education Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsection (f-1) to read as
follows:
(f) The commissioner shall by rule adopt a transition plan
to implement the amendments made by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031),
Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, replacing
general subject assessment instruments administered at the high
school level with end-of-course assessment instruments. The rules
must provide for the end-of-course assessment instruments adopted
under Section 39.023(c) to be administered beginning with students
enrolled in [entering] the ninth grade for the first time during the
2011-2012 school year. During the period under which the
transition to end-of-course assessment instruments is made:
(1) for students entering a grade above the ninth
grade during the 2011-2012 school year or students repeating ninth
grade during the 2011-2012 school year, the commissioner shall
retain, administer, and use for purposes of accreditation and other
campus and district accountability measures under this chapter the
assessment instruments required by Section 39.023(a) or (c), as
that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B.
No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007; and
(2) a student subject to Subdivision (1) may not
receive a high school diploma unless the student has performed
satisfactorily on the SAT or the ACT as provided by Subsection (f-1)
or on each required assessment instrument administered under
Section 39.023(c), as that section existed before amendment by
Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular
Session, 2007.
(f-1) The commissioner shall establish satisfactory
performance levels for the SAT and the ACT that are equivalent in
rigor to the performance level required to be met under Subsection
(a), as that subsection existed before amendment by Chapter 1312
(S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session,
2007, that qualify a student subject to Subsection (f)(1) to
receive a high school diploma. Notwithstanding Subsection (f), the
commissioner is not required after September 1, 2017, to maintain
and administer assessment instruments administered under Section
39.023(c), as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312
(S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session,
2007.
SECTION 2. 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.