Bill Text: TX HB1122 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to a pilot program for a three-year high school diploma plan and cost-neutral expansion of full-day prekindergarten programs.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/13 [HB1122 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB1122-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 1122 |
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relating to a pilot program for a three-year high school diploma | ||
plan and cost-neutral expansion of full-day prekindergarten | ||
programs. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 28.0255 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 28.0255. PILOT PROGRAM: THREE-YEAR HIGH SCHOOL | ||
DIPLOMA PLAN. (a) In this section, "certificate program," "public | ||
junior college," "public state college," and "public technical | ||
institute" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003. | ||
(b) This section applies only to a school district: | ||
(1) with an enrollment of more than 150,000 students; | ||
and | ||
(2) located primarily in a county that has a | ||
population of 2.2 million or more and that is adjacent to a county | ||
with a population of more than 600,000. | ||
(c) A school district to which this section applies may | ||
develop and implement a pilot program for students who wish to | ||
obtain a high school diploma after completion of three years of | ||
secondary school attendance as an alternative to the traditional | ||
four-year period of attendance. The program must include | ||
partnerships between the school district and public junior | ||
colleges, public technical institutes, public state colleges, and | ||
any other public postsecondary institutions in this state offering | ||
academic or technical education or vocational training under a | ||
certificate program or an associate degree program to facilitate | ||
the prompt enrollment of students in those institutions after high | ||
school graduation under the program. | ||
(d) Participation by a student in the program must be | ||
voluntary, with approval of the student's parent. A student who | ||
agrees to participate in the program may, on request, discontinue | ||
participation and resume taking courses under a high school program | ||
based on a traditional four-year period of attendance. | ||
(e) Notwithstanding Section 28.025, the school district | ||
shall specify the curriculum requirements for receiving a high | ||
school diploma under the program. The curriculum requirements must | ||
ensure that a student who graduates under the program possesses | ||
sufficient knowledge and skills in English language arts and | ||
mathematics to be capable of performing successfully in public | ||
junior college-level courses. | ||
(f) The school district shall submit to the commissioner for | ||
approval the district's proposal regarding the scope of the program | ||
and the program curriculum requirements. The school district shall | ||
also submit the proposed curriculum requirements to the State Board | ||
of Education for comment. The district may not implement the | ||
program before obtaining the commissioner's approval of the scope | ||
of the program and the program curriculum requirements. | ||
(g) A student is entitled to a high school diploma if the | ||
student: | ||
(1) successfully complies with the curriculum | ||
requirements specified under Subsection (e); and | ||
(2) performs satisfactorily, as determined by the | ||
commissioner under Subsection (h), on end-of-course assessment | ||
instruments listed under Section 39.023(c) for courses in which the | ||
student was enrolled. | ||
(h) For purposes of Subsection (g)(2), the commissioner | ||
shall determine the level of satisfactory performance on applicable | ||
end-of-course assessment instruments administered to a student. | ||
(i) The school district shall report the academic | ||
achievement record of students who have completed the program on a | ||
transcript that clearly identifies the program and distinguishes | ||
the program from the other high school programs based on a | ||
traditional four-year period of attendance. | ||
(j) A student who has received a diploma under the program | ||
is exempt from the compulsory school attendance requirements under | ||
Section 25.085. | ||
(k) To the extent this section conflicts with any other | ||
provision of this code or rule adopted under this code, this section | ||
prevails. | ||
(l) This section expires September 1, 2023. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 42.2526 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 42.2526. ADJUSTMENT FOR DISTRICT OPERATING PILOT | ||
PROGRAM. (a) This section applies only to a school district | ||
operating a pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255. | ||
(b) Beginning with the first school year that follows the | ||
first school year in which students receive high school diplomas | ||
under the pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255 and | ||
continuing for every subsequent school year that the district | ||
operates the pilot program, the commissioner shall provide funding | ||
for the district's prekindergarten program under Section 29.153 on | ||
a full-day basis for a number of prekindergarten students equal to | ||
twice the number of students who received a high school diploma | ||
under the pilot program authorized by Section 28.0255 during the | ||
preceding school year. | ||
(c) This section expires September 1, 2023. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 1122 was passed by the House on May 8, | ||
2013, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 18, 2 present, not | ||
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
No. 1122 on May 22, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 128, Nays 12, | ||
2 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 1122 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 24, Nays | ||
7. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |