85R11583 SRS-D
 
  By: Rodríguez S.B. No. 1657
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the use of individual graduation committees to satisfy
  certain public high school graduation requirements for certain
  individuals who are no longer enrolled in school.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 12.104, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-3) to read as follows:
         (b-3)  An open-enrollment charter school is subject to the
  requirement to establish an individual graduation committee under
  Section 28.02581.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 28, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 28.02581 to read as follows:
         Sec. 28.02581.  HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AWARDED ON BASIS OF
  INDIVIDUAL GRADUATION COMMITTEE REVIEW FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS WHO
  ARE NO LONGER ENROLLED STUDENTS. (a)  This section applies only to
  an individual who:
               (1)  is no longer enrolled in high school;
               (2)  is under 26 years of age;
               (3)  successfully completed the curriculum
  requirements for high school graduation applicable to the
  individual during the period the individual was enrolled as a
  student in high school; and
               (4)  for not more than two subjects, failed to comply
  with any exit-level assessment instrument performance requirements
  for assessment instruments administered under Section 39.023(c),
  as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B.
  1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, and
  applicable to the individual during the period the individual was
  enrolled as a student in high school.
         (b)  For each individual to whom this section applies, the
  school district that the individual attended during the
  individual's 12th grade year as a student, on request by the
  individual, shall establish an individual graduation committee to
  determine whether the individual may qualify to graduate as
  provided by this section.  The committee shall be composed of:
               (1)  the principal or principal's designee;
               (2)  for each exit-level assessment instrument on which
  the individual failed to perform satisfactorily, a teacher in the
  applicable subject area;
               (3)  the department chair or lead teacher supervising
  the teacher described by Subdivision (2); and
               (4)  the individual for whom the committee is
  established.
         (c)  The commissioner by rule shall establish a procedure for
  appointing an alternative committee member if a person described by
  Subsection (b)(1), (2), or (3) is unable to serve.  The
  superintendent of each school district shall establish procedures
  for the convening of an individual graduation committee.
         (d)  The school district shall ensure a good faith effort is
  made to timely notify the individual for whom the individual
  graduation committee is established of the time and place for
  convening the committee.  The notice must be:
               (1)  provided in person or by regular mail or e-mail;
  and
               (2)  clear and easy to understand.
         (e)  Notwithstanding any other law, an individual graduation
  committee established under this section shall recommend
  additional requirements by which the individual for whom the
  committee is established may qualify to graduate, including:
               (1)  additional remediation; and
               (2)  for each exit-level assessment instrument on which
  the individual failed to perform satisfactorily:
                     (A)  the completion of a project related to the
  subject area of the course that demonstrates proficiency in the
  subject area; or
                     (B)  the preparation of a portfolio of work
  samples in the subject area of the course, including work samples
  from the course that demonstrate proficiency in the subject area.
         (f)  For purposes of Subsection (e), the individual may
  submit to the individual graduation committee coursework
  previously completed to satisfy a recommended additional
  requirement.
         (g)  In determining whether an individual for whom an
  individual graduation committee is established is qualified to
  graduate, the committee shall consider:
               (1)  any recommendation of the teacher of the
  individual in a subject area for which the individual failed to
  perform satisfactorily on an exit-level assessment instrument;
               (2)  the individual's grade in each course for which the
  individual failed to perform satisfactorily on an exit-level
  assessment instrument;
               (3)  the individual's score on each exit-level
  assessment instrument on which the individual failed to perform
  satisfactorily;
               (4)  the individual's performance on any additional
  requirements recommended by the committee under Subsection (e);
               (5)  the number of hours of remediation that the
  individual has attended, including attendance in and successful
  completion of a transitional college course in reading or
  mathematics;
               (6)  the individual's school attendance rate during the
  period the individual was enrolled in high school; 
               (7)  the individual's satisfaction of any of the Texas
  Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed
  by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;
               (8)  the individual's successful completion of a dual
  credit course in English, mathematics, science, or social studies;
               (9)  the individual's successful completion of a high
  school pre-advanced placement, advanced placement, or
  international baccalaureate program course in English,
  mathematics, science, or social studies;
               (10)  the individual's rating of advanced high on the
  high school administration of the Texas English Language
  Proficiency Assessment System;
               (11)  the individual's score of 50 or greater on a
  College-Level Examination Program examination;
               (12)  the individual's score on the ACT, the SAT, or the
  Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test;
               (13)  the individual's completion of a sequence of high
  school courses under a career and technical education program
  required to attain an industry-recognized credential or
  certificate;
               (14)  the individual's overall preparedness for
  postsecondary success; and 
               (15)  any other academic information designated for
  consideration by the board of trustees of the school district.
         (h)  After considering the criteria under Subsection (g),
  the individual graduation committee may determine that the
  individual is qualified to graduate.  Notwithstanding any other
  law, an individual for whom an individual graduation committee is
  established may graduate and receive a high school diploma on the
  basis of the committee's decision only if the individual
  successfully completes all additional requirements recommended by
  the committee under Subsection (e) and the committee's vote is
  unanimous.  The commissioner by rule shall establish a timeline for
  making a determination under this subsection.  This subsection does
  not create a property interest in graduation.  The decision of a
  committee is final and may not be appealed.
         (i)  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section.
         SECTION 3.  Section 39.025, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c-2) to read as follows:
         (c-2)  A school district may not administer an assessment
  instrument required for graduation administered under this section
  as this section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312, (S.B.
  1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007.  
  Notwithstanding any other law, a school district may administer to
  a student who is at least 21 years of age and under 26 years of age
  and enrolled in high school to complete a high school diploma an
  end-of-course assessment instrument listed in Section 39.023(c)
  for any subject that was assessed in an assessment instrument
  required for graduation that was administered under this section as
  it existed before amendment by Chapter 1312, (S.B. 1031), Acts of
  the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, and for which the
  student failed to perform satisfactorily.
         SECTION 4.  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.