HB 149: Relating to alternative methods for satisfying certain public high school graduation requirements, including the use of individual graduation committees.
Governor Greg Abbott today signed Senate Bill 149 (Seliger, R-Amarillo) into law to become effective immediately. Governor Abbott issued the following statement:
“The goal of the Texas public education system should be to ensure all students who graduate from high school are college or career-ready. Ensuring that Texas students are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary for future success is what students, parents and taxpayers deserve. That is exactly why I have pledged to elevate Texas’ public education system to be number one in the nation.
“The Class of 2015 is the first graduating class required to pass the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) end-of-course exams in order to graduate. While it is critical that the state appropriately holds public schools and districts accountable for delivering the best possible education, we must protect Texas students from being penalized as a result of evolving testing standards. SB 149 protects students from undue penalization, and guarantees that students who meet specified requirements are able to graduate.
“I will continue to work with the Legislature to create and maintain standards of excellence for our schools so that our shared goals for public education can be accomplished.”