© Texas Education Agency 2009 House Bill 3 Graduation Requirements

© Texas Education Agency

© Texas Education Agency 2009 Layers of Graduation Requirements State Law (TEC) SBOE Rule (TAC) Local District Policy

© Texas Education Agency 2009 TEC, Section 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.

© Texas Education Agency 2009 Distinguished Achievement Program Entered Grade 9 before Entered Grade or later English Language Arts4 credits Mathematics3 credits4 credits Science3 credits4 credits Social Studies3.5 credits Economics with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits.5 credit Languages other than English3 credits Physical Education1.5 credit Health Education.5 credit Speech.5 credit Technology Applications1 credit Fine Arts1 credit Electives2.5 credits Total2426

© Texas Education Agency 2009 Minimum High School Program Entered Grade 9 before Entered Grade or later English Language Arts4 credits Mathematics3 credits Science2 credits Social Studies2.5 credits Economics with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits.5 credit Academic Elective1 credit Physical Education1.5 credit Health Education.5 credit Speech.5 credit Technology Applications1 credit Fine ArtsNone1 credit Electives5.5 credits4.5 credits Total22

© Texas Education Agency 2009 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.

© Texas Education Agency 2009 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 , students in the minimum high school program are required to complete one credit in fine arts.

© Texas Education Agency 2009 Recommended High School Program Entered Grade 9 before Entered Grade or later English Language Arts4 credits Mathematics3 credits4 credits Science3 credits4 credits Social Studies3.5 credits Economics with emphasis on the free enterprise system and its benefits.5 credit Languages other than English2 credits Physical Education1 credit Speech.5 credit Fine Arts1 credit Electives6 credits (includes speech) 6 credits (includes speech) Total2426

© Texas Education Agency 2009 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 speech is still required per SBOE rule. Students under all three graduation programs are still required to earn ½ credit in Communication Applications (speech).

© Texas Education Agency 2009 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.

© Texas Education Agency 2009 Health Education Section (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.

© Texas Education Agency 2009 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.

© Texas Education Agency 2009 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.

© Texas Education Agency 2009 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.