HB297 - Relating to eliminating certain state-required end-of-course assessment instruments not required by federal law and eliminating graduation requirements based on satisfactory performance on certain end-of-course assessment instruments.

  89R1524 AMF-F     By: Bucy H.B. No. 297       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to eliminating certain state-required end-of-course   assessment instruments not required by federal law and eliminating   graduation requirements based on satisfactory performance on   certain end-of-course assessment instruments.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 28.0211(a-8), Education Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a-8)  A school district may not be required to provide   supplemental instruction under Subsection (a-1)(2) to a student in   more than two subject areas per school year.  If the district would   otherwise be required to provide supplemental instruction to a   student in more than two subject areas for a school year, the   district shall prioritize providing supplemental instruction to   the student in mathematics and reading, or Algebra I or [ , ] English   I, [ or English II, ] as applicable, for that school year.          SECTION 2.  Section 39.023, Education Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (q) to read as   follows:          (c)  The agency shall also adopt end-of-course assessment   instruments for secondary-level courses in Algebra I, biology, and   English I[ , English II, and United States history ]. The Algebra I   end-of-course assessment instrument must be administered with the   aid of technology, but may include one or more parts that prohibit   the use of technology. The English I [ and English II ]   end-of-course assessment instrument [ instruments ] must [ each ]   assess essential knowledge and skills in both reading and writing   and must provide a single score. A school district shall comply   with State Board of Education rules regarding administration of the   assessment instruments listed in this subsection. If a student is   in a special education program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, the   student's admission, review, and dismissal committee shall   determine whether any allowable modification is necessary in   administering to the student an assessment instrument required   under this subsection. The State Board of Education shall   administer the assessment instruments. An end-of-course   assessment instrument may be administered in multiple parts over   more than one day. The State Board of Education shall adopt a   schedule for the administration of end-of-course assessment   instruments that complies with the requirements of Subsection   (c-3).           (q)     This subsection applies to end-of-course assessment   instruments adopted under Subsection (c) for secondary-level   courses in English II and United States history, as that subsection   existed before amendment by __.B. No.___, Acts of the 89th   Legislature, Regular Session, 2025. The agency may retain   assessment instruments described by this subsection, but may not   require a school district to administer those assessment   instruments. A school district may choose to administer an   assessment instrument described by this subsection. An assessment   instrument described by this subsection administered by a school   district may not be used for accountability purposes to measure the   performance of the district or a district campus.          SECTION 3.  Section 39.025, Education Code, is amended by   amending Subsections (a-1) and (a-3) and adding Subsections (h),   (i), and (j) to read as follows:          (a-1)  A student enrolled in a college preparatory   mathematics or English language arts course under Section 28.014   who satisfies the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness   benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating   Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument designated   by the coordinating board under that section administered at the   end of the college preparatory mathematics or English language arts   course satisfies the requirements concerning and is exempt from the   administration of the Algebra I or the English I [ and English II ]   end-of-course assessment instrument [ instruments ], as applicable,   as prescribed by Section 39.023(c), even if the student did not   perform satisfactorily on a previous administration of the   applicable end-of-course assessment instrument. A student who   fails to perform satisfactorily on the assessment instrument   designated by the coordinating board under Section 51.334   administered as provided by this subsection may retake that   assessment instrument for purposes of this subsection or may take   the appropriate end-of-course assessment instrument.          (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 mathematics [ 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 ].           (h)     Notwithstanding Subsection (a), in order to receive a   high school diploma, a student is not required to achieve a scale   score that indicates satisfactory performance on an end-of-course   assessment for secondary-level courses in English II or United   States history after the effective date of ___.B. No. _____, Acts of   the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, regardless of the date   the student enters high school.           (i)     Subject to Subsection (j), a school district or   open-enrollment charter school policy that requires a student to   demonstrate satisfactory performance on an end-of-course   assessment for secondary-level courses in English II or United   States history does not apply to a student of the district or school   as of the effective date of ___.B. No. _____, Acts of the 89th   Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, regardless of the date that   student enters high school or whether the student is currently   enrolled in high school.           (j)     The board of trustees of a school district or the   governing body of an open-enrollment charter school with a policy   described by Subsection (i) may readopt the policy after the   effective date of ___.B. No. _____, Acts of the 89th Legislature,   Regular Session, 2025, to apply to district or charter school   students enrolled in high school on or after the date the policy is   readopted.          SECTION 4.  Section 39.023(c-9), Education Code, is   repealed.          SECTION 5.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026   school year.          SECTION 6.  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, 2025.