| 1 | 1 | | 87R1632 JES-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Middleton H.B. No. 4504 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to certain requirements and procedures concerning the |
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| 8 | 8 | | assignment of grades by a classroom teacher under a school |
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| 9 | 9 | | district's grading policy. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 28.0216, Education Code, is amended to |
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| 12 | 12 | | read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 28.0216. DISTRICT GRADING POLICY. A school district |
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| 14 | 14 | | shall adopt a grading policy, including provisions for the |
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| 15 | 15 | | assignment of grades on class assignments and examinations, before |
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| 16 | 16 | | each school year. A district grading policy: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) must require a classroom teacher to assign a grade |
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| 18 | 18 | | that reflects the student's relative mastery of an assignment; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) may not require a classroom teacher to assign a |
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| 20 | 20 | | minimum grade for an assignment without regard to the student's |
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| 21 | 21 | | quality of work; [and] |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) may allow a student a reasonable opportunity to |
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| 23 | 23 | | make up or redo a class assignment or examination for which the |
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| 24 | 24 | | student received a failing grade; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (4) must state that a classroom teacher has the sole |
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| 26 | 26 | | responsibility to assign a student's grade without interference, |
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| 27 | 27 | | including interference by a school counselor or school |
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| 28 | 28 | | administrator; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (5) must provide procedures for protecting classroom |
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| 30 | 30 | | teachers from outside influence over grading decisions, including |
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| 31 | 31 | | procedures that protect a classroom teacher from being: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (A) forced to alter a grade; or |
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| 33 | 33 | | (B) bullied or retaliated against for an assigned |
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| 34 | 34 | | grade; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (6) must provide for disciplinary action against a |
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| 36 | 36 | | district employee who engages in conduct described by Subdivision |
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| 37 | 37 | | (5)(A) or (B) or otherwise improperly attempts to force a classroom |
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| 38 | 38 | | teacher to change an assigned grade. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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| 40 | 40 | | school year. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 42 | 42 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 43 | 43 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 44 | 44 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 45 | 45 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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