TITLE: Relating to the use of certain assessment instruments as secondary exit-level assessment instruments to allow certain public school students to receive a high school diploma.

SUMMARY: Relating to the use of certain assessment instruments as secondary exit-level assessment instruments to allow certain public school students to receive a high school diploma.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the use of certain assessment instruments as secondary exit-level assessment instruments to allow certain public school students to receive a high school diploma. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 39.025, Education Code, is amended by amending Subsection (f) and adding Subsections (f-1) and (f-2) to read as follows: (f) The commissioner shall by rule adopt a transition plan to implement the amendments made by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, replacing general subject assessment instruments administered at the high school level with end-of-course assessment instruments. The rules must provide for the end-of-course assessment instruments adopted under Section 39.023(c) to be administered beginning with students enrolled in [entering] the ninth grade for the first time during the 2011-2012 school year. During the period under which the transition to end-of-course assessment instruments is made: (1) for students entering a grade above the ninth grade during the 2011-2012 school year or students repeating ninth grade during the 2011-2012 school year,the commissioner shall retain, administer, and use for purposes of accreditation and other campus and district accountability measures under this chapter the assessment instruments required by Section 39.023(a) or (c), as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007; and (2) a student subject to Subdivision (1) may not receive a high school diploma unless the student has performed satisfactorily on the SAT, the ACT, the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) diagnostic assessment, or the current assessment instrument or instruments administered for graduation purposes as provided by Subsection (f-1) or on each required assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023(c),as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007. (f-1) The commissioner shall establish satisfactory performance levels for the SAT, the ACT, the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) diagnostic assessment, and the current assessment instrument or instruments administered for graduation purposes that are equivalent in rigor to the performance level required to be met under Subsection (a), as that subsection existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, that qualify a student subject to Subsection (f)(1) to receive a high school diploma. Notwithstanding Subsection (f), the commissioner is not required after September 1, 2017, to maintain and administer assessment instruments administered under Section 39.023(c), as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007. (f-2) A school district shall determine which assessment or assessments described by Subsection (f-1) qualify a student subject to Subsection (f)(1) to receive a high school diploma from the district. SECTION 2. 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.