Bill Text: TX SB50 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to regulatory authority for courses taken by public high school students for both high school and college credit.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-01-31 - Referred to Education [SB50 Detail]

Download: Texas-2011-SB50-Introduced.html

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82R1664 CAS-D
By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 50

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to regulatory authority for courses taken by public high
school students for both high school and college credit.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 28.002, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c-2) to read as follows:
(c-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (c), the State Board of
Education may not identify the essential knowledge and skills of a
course in a subject of the required curriculum for which a student
may be awarded both high school and college credit.
SECTION 2. Section 30A.104, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 30A.104. COURSE ELIGIBILITY IN GENERAL. A course
offered through the state virtual school network must:
(1) be in a specific subject that is part of the
required curriculum under Section 28.002(a);
(2) be aligned with the essential knowledge and skills
identified under Section 28.002(c) for a grade level at or above
grade level three, except in the case of a dual credit course for
which the essential knowledge and skills are not identified as
provided by Section 28.002(c-2); and
(3) be the equivalent in instructional rigor and scope
to a course that is provided in a traditional classroom setting
during:
(A) a semester of 90 instructional days; and
(B) a school day that meets the minimum length of
a school day required under Section 25.082.
SECTION 3. Section 30A.111(c), Education Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(c) The commissioner of higher education by rule shall
establish qualifications and professional development requirements
applicable to college instructors providing instruction in dual
credit courses through the state virtual school network that allow
a student to earn high school credit and college credit or other
credit.
SECTION 4. Section 39.023, Education Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c-7) and amending Subsection (i) to read as
follows:
(c-7) Subsection (c) does not apply to a course for which a
student may be awarded both high school and college credit.
(i) The provisions of this section, except Subsections
(c-7) and [Subsection] (d), are subject to modification by rules
adopted under Section 39.022. Each assessment instrument adopted
under those rules and each assessment instrument required under
Subsection (d) must be reliable and valid and must meet any
applicable federal requirements for measurement of student
progress.
SECTION 5. Sections 39.025(a), (a-2), and (a-3), Education
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The commissioner shall adopt rules requiring a student
participating in the recommended or advanced high school program to
be administered each end-of-course assessment instrument listed in
Section 39.023(c), except as provided by Section 39.023(c-7), and
requiring a student participating in the minimum high school
program to be administered an end-of-course assessment instrument
listed in Section 39.023(c) only for a course in which the student
is enrolled and for which an end-of-course assessment instrument is
administered. A student is required to achieve, in each subject in
the foundation curriculum under Section 28.002(a)(1), a cumulative
score that is at least equal to the product of the number of
end-of-course assessment instruments administered to the student
in that subject and a scale score that indicates satisfactory
performance, as determined by the commissioner under Section
39.0241(a). A student must achieve a minimum score as determined
by the commissioner to be within a reasonable range of the scale
score under Section 39.0241(a) on an end-of-course assessment
instrument for the score to count towards the student's cumulative
score. For purposes of this subsection, a student's cumulative
score is determined using the student's highest score on each
end-of-course assessment instrument administered to the
student. A student may not receive a high school diploma until the
student has performed satisfactorily on the end-of-course
assessment instruments in the manner provided under this
subsection. This subsection does not require a student to
demonstrate readiness to enroll in an institution of higher
education.
(a-2) In addition to the cumulative score requirements
under Subsection (a), except to the extent that under Section
39.023(c-7) a student is not required to take an end-of-course
assessment instrument for a particular course, a student must
achieve a score that meets or exceeds:
(1) the score determined by the commissioner under
Section 39.0241(a) for English III and Algebra II end-of-course
assessment instruments, to graduate under the recommended high
school program; or
(2) [.
[(a-3) In addition to the cumulative score requirements
under Subsection (a), a student must achieve a score that meets or
exceeds] the score determined by the commissioner under Section
39.0241(a-1) on English III and Algebra II end-of-course assessment
instruments, [in order] to graduate under the advanced high school
program.
SECTION 6. Section 39.023(o), Education Code, is repealed.
SECTION 7. This Act applies to a course offered for both
high school and college credit beginning with the 2011-2012 school
year.
SECTION 8. 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, 2011.