Bill Text: TX HB1980 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Engrossed

Texas House Bill 1980 (Prior Session Legislation)

TX State Legislature page for HB1980

Bill Title: 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.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2017-05-11 - Referred to Education [HB1980 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB1980-Engrossed.html

	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.