85R7071 PAM-D
	By: Lucio	S.B. No. 531

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the use of individual graduation committee
	determinations for certain public school accountability and high
	school graduation purposes and to the use of other alternative
	methods for certain high school graduation purposes.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 12.104(b-2), Education Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(b-2)  An open-enrollment charter school is subject to the
	requirement to establish an individual graduation committee under
	Section 28.0258.  [This subsection expires September 1, 2017.]
	SECTION 2.  Section 28.025(c-6), Education Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(c-6)  Notwithstanding Subsection (c), a person may receive
	a diploma if the person is eligible for a diploma under Section
	28.0258.  [This subsection expires September 1, 2017.]
	SECTION 3.  Effective September 1, 2018, Section 28.0258(e),
	Education Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(e)  To be eligible to graduate and receive a high school
	diploma under this section, a student must successfully complete
	the curriculum requirements required for high school graduation[:
	[(1)]  identified by the State Board of Education under
	Section 28.025(a)[; or
	[(2)     as otherwise provided by the transition plan
	adopted by the commissioner under Section 28.025(h)].
	SECTION 4.  Section 39.025(a-2), Education Code, as added by
	Chapter 5 (S.B. 149), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular
	Session, 2015, is amended to read as follows:
	(a-2)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student who has
	failed to perform satisfactorily on end-of-course assessment
	instruments in the manner provided under this section may receive a
	high school diploma if the student has qualified for graduation
	under Section 28.0258.  [This subsection expires September 1,
	2017.]
	SECTION 5.  Section 39.025(a-3), Education Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(a-3)  A student who, after retaking an end-of-course
	assessment instrument for Algebra I or English II, has failed to
	perform satisfactorily as required by Subsection (a), but who
	receives a score of proficient on the Texas Success Initiative
	(TSI) diagnostic assessment for the corresponding subject for which
	the student failed to perform satisfactorily on the end-of-course
	assessment instrument satisfies the requirement concerning the
	Algebra I or English II end-of-course assessment, as applicable.
	[This subsection expires September 1, 2017.]
	SECTION 6.  Section 39.053, Education Code, is amended by
	adding Subsection (c-3) to read as follows:
	(c-3)  The commissioner by rule shall determine a method by
	which the determination of an individual graduation committee
	established under Section 28.0258 that a student is qualified to
	graduate may be included as satisfactory performance on an
	assessment instrument for purposes of Subsection (c)(1) in
	determining the performance rating of a school district or campus
	under Section 39.054. The commissioner shall use the method
	determined under this subsection in determining the performance
	rating of a school district or campus under Section 39.054,
	provided that the commissioner obtains any necessary waiver from
	the application of any conflicting federal law or regulation. For
	purposes of using the method determined under this subsection, the
	commissioner shall seek a waiver from the application of any
	conflicting federal law or regulation as a result of the use of the
	method in determining the performance rating of a school district
	or campus under Section 39.054.
	SECTION 7.  Sections 28.0258(l) and 28.0259(e), Education
	Code, are repealed.
	SECTION 8.  Except as otherwise provided by this Act, 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 on the
	91st day after the last day of the legislative session.