© Texas Education Agency 2009 House Bill 3 Graduation Requirements.

© Texas Education Agency 2009

House Bill 3

Graduation Requirements


http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/HB3index.html


Layers of Graduation Requirements

Local District Policy

SBOE Rule (TAC)

State Law (TEC)


TEC, Section 28.025

Subject to Subsection (b-1), the State Board of Education shall designate the specific courses in the foundation curriculum required for a student participating in the minimum, recommended, or advanced high school program. Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), the State Board of Education may not designate a specific course or a specific number of credits in the enrichment curriculum as requirements for the recommended program.


Distinguished Achievement ProgramEntered Grade 9 before 2007-08

Entered Grade 9 2007-08 or later

English Language Arts 4 credits 4 credits

Mathematics 3 credits 4 credits

Science 3 credits 4 credits

Social Studies 3.5 credits 3.5 credits

Economics with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits

.5 credit .5 credit

Languages other than English 3 credits 3 credits

Physical Education 1.5 credit 1.5 credit

Health Education .5 credit .5 credit

Speech .5 credit .5 credit

Technology Applications 1 credit 1 credit

Fine Arts 1 credit 1 credit

Electives 2.5 credits 2.5 credits

Total 24 26


Minimum High School ProgramEntered Grade 9 before 2009-10







.5 credit .5 credit

Academic Elective 1 credit 1 credit

Physical Education 1.5 credit 1.5 credit

Health Education .5 credit .5 credit


Technology Applications 1 credit 1 credit

Fine Arts None 1 credit

Electives 5.5 credits 4.5 credits

Total 22 22


Minimum High School Program

In order for a student to opt into the

minimum high school program, the student must:

(1) be at least 16 years of age;

(2) have completed two credits required for graduation in each subject of the foundation curriculum; or

(3) have failed to be promoted to the tenth grade one or more times as determined by the

school district.


Minimum High School Program

• A student must meet one of the 3 circumstances.

• A student has the right to re-enroll in the RHSP at any time.

• A student must satisfy all the course requirements listed in 19 TAC Chapter 74 for a total of 22 credits to graduate.

• Beginning with students who enter Grade 9 in 2009-2010, students in the minimum high school program are required to complete one credit in fine arts.


Recommended High School ProgramEntered Grade 9 before 2007-08







.5 credit .5 credit

Languages other than English 2 credits 2 credits

Physical Education 1 credit 1 credit


Fine Arts 1 credit 1 credit

Electives 6 credits

(includes speech)

6 credits

(includes speech)

Total 24 26


Speech

• The law limits the SBOE’s authority to require specific courses in the enrichment curriculum beyond what is required in law for the RHSP.

• Speech is part of ELA/R and the foundation curriculum.

• For 2009-2010 speech is still required per SBOE rule. • Students under all three graduation programs are still

required to earn ½ credit in Communication Applications (speech).


Speech

Since speech is not required in law, but the SBOE still has authority to require speech, this course may count toward the 6 required electives so that students still only need 26 credits to graduate rather than needing 26 and ½ credits to graduate.


Health Education

• Section 28.002(p) of the Education Code requires the p.a.p.a. program to be part of “the district’s high school health curriculum.”

• The p.a.p.a. program must be part of any high school health class that is offered.

• Students in the recommended high school program are no longer required to take a health class for graduation. Students in the minimum program and DAP are still required to take a health class per SBOE rule.


Physical Education

• Since HB 3 does not allow the SBOE to designate a specific course in the enrichment curriculum as a requirement for graduation under the RHSP, students are no longer required to take Foundations of Personal Fitness to satisfy the physical education graduation requirement.

• Since the SBOE still has authority to require specific courses in the enrichment curriculum beyond what is required in law for the minimum and DAP: the SBOE rule requiring students to take the additional ½ credit

of P.E. under these two programs is still valid, and students must take Foundations of Personal Fitness under these

two graduation programs per current SBOE rule.


Physical Education• There are currently five ½ credit TEKS-based courses in P.E. for a

possible total of 2 and ½ credits toward graduation. • Current SBOE rule allows the following substitutions:

drill team, marching band, and cheerleading during the fall semester

JROTC athletics Dance I-IV two- or three-credit career and technical work-based training

courses • There is currently no limit on the number of P.E. substitutions that

may be counted toward graduation requirements for the RHSP.• The SBOE retains the authority to determine course substitutions for

physical education. • Students in the minimum program and DAP may only apply two P.E.

credits or substitutions toward graduation requirements per current SBOE rule.


High School Course Offering

• Per 19 TAC §74.3. school districts and charters are required to make available the subjects in the enrichment curriculum, but are not required to offer every course in each subject, or to enroll and instruct each student in each subject.

• Students must have access to courses in the enrichment curriculum, but districts may determine how often courses are offered and which individual courses are offered.

• Whenever a district does offer a course in the enrichment curriculum, all of the essential knowledge and skills for that course must be taught.

© Texas Education Agency 2009 House Bill 3 Graduation Requirements.

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