The 86th Texas Legislature passed a few bills related to graduation. The list below includes links to the full text and history of each bill (more available at Texas Legislature Online).
SB 213, Relating to the use of individual graduation committees and other alternative methods to satisfy certain public high school graduation requirements.
Signed into law on May 7
Extends IGC options to September 1, 2023
Note the rules for special education outlined in current version of TAC §74.1025 (n), with no anticipated revisions to this subsection:
“A student receiving special education services is not subject to the individual graduation committee requirements in the TEC, §28.0258, or the provisions of this section. As provided in §89.1070 of this title (relating to Graduation Requirements) and §101.3023 of this title (relating to Participation and Graduation Assessment Requirements for Students Receiving Special Education Services), a student's admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee determines whether a student is required to achieve satisfactory performance on an EOC assessment to graduate.”
HB 165, Relating to providing for endorsements for public high school students enrolled in special education programs.
Signed into law on June 10
Effective immediately; Applies beginning with the 2019-2020 school year
Expands the opportunities for students with disabilities to earn an endorsement with modified content to any course
Key language:
a student “may earn an endorsement on the student’s transcript…. with modification of the curriculum, provided that the curriculum, as modified, is sufficiently rigorous as determined by the student’s admission, review, and dismissal committee.”
The ARD committee “shall determine whether the student is required to achieve satisfactory performance on an end-of-course assessment instrument to earn an endorsement on the student’s transcript.”
Expect revisions to TAC §89.1070