1. Parents and HB5

2. What is a House Bill 5 diploma?
Passed in 2013, House Bill 5 changed the requirements for a Texas high school diploma.
If your child will be a freshman in August 2014,or thereafter, they will be on this diploma plan.
It also changed the amount of End of Course (STAAR) tests students have to take for a diploma.

3. What tests does my child need for a diploma?
Biology
United States History
Algebra I
English I
English II
* Note that the English tests are one day Reading and Writing combined tests.

4. What else do I need to know about testing?
Biology, Algebra I and US History are 4 hour exams.
English I and II are 5 hour tests with both reading and writing.
The test is attached to when your child takes the course, not a particular grade level. For instance, if your child take Biology as a freshman they will take the EOC that year. However, if they take it as a sophomore then they will take it that year.

5. HB5 Graduation plans Foundation requirements Endorsements
Arts & Humanities
Business & Industry
Multidisciplinary Studies
Public Services
STEM
Distinguished Level
Performance Acknowledgements

6. What is the Foundation?
Foundation = the 22 credits needed for this type of basic diploma
Your child cannot move to only a Foundation diploma until the end of their sophomore year and there must be a meeting between you and your child’s counselor to get your consent.
This is the minimal amount of courses for a diploma. Your child is still required to pass the EOC tests.

7. Foundation = 22 credits Electives – 5 credits Basics – 17 credits
Core subject areas credits and LOTE not used for Basic requirements
Other Fine Arts/Health/PE credits
CTE, Technology Applications, and Career Development
Some may overlap for Endorsement requirements
4 credits ELA/R
3 credits of Math
3 credits of Science
3 credits of Social Studies
1 credit of PE
1 credit of Fine Arts
Art, Band, Theatre Arts, Choir, Floral Design, Music Exploration
2 credits of LOTE (Foreign Language) Spanish 1 & 2

8. What is an Endorsement?
Endorsement = a set of classes that go together to help create an area of study for a student
Endorsements follow a pattern set by the district.
This customizes the diploma to support your child’s college and career pathway.
Students study in areas where they are interested or have a talent/aptitude.

9. Endorsements for China Spring H.S.
Arts & Humanities
Business & Industry
Multidisciplinary Studies
Public Services
STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

10. ARTS & HUMANITIES PATHWAYS

11. BUSINESS & INDUSTRY PATHWAYS

12. MULTIDISCIPLINARY PATHWAY

13. PUBLIC SERVICE PATHWAYS

14. STEM PATHWAYS

15. New Definition for Distinguished
Distinguished Level =
Credits for the Foundation
Credits for one Endorsement
4 Math and 4 Science
One of the math must be Algebra II

16. What will my child need to be in the top 10%?
GPA requirements set by District Policy
Achievement of Distinguished Level

17. What other things can help my child have a stronger diploma?
Performance Acknowledgements
Dual Credit
AP Courses
PSAT, SAT, ACT-PLAN and ACT
Bilingualism/Biliteracy

18. Performance Acknowledgements
Dual credit – 12 hours with 3.0+
English 3 & 4, US History,
US Government & Economics
AP score of 3+
English 3 & 4, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science & Spanish 4

19. Performance Acknowledgements
PSAT, SAT, ACT-PLAN, ACT
PSAT = commended scholar or higher
ACT-PLAN = college readiness in two of four subject areas
SAT = combined reading and math score of 1250+
ACT = composite score of 28 (excluding writing)

20. Performance Acknowledgements
Bilingualism/Biliteracy – ELAR average of 80+ and one of:
3 LOTE with GPA of 80+
Proficiency in Level IV LOTE with GPA of 80+

21. How is the HB5 Plan documented?
The type of Endorsements and Performance Acknowledgements your child earns will be written on their:
Transcript
Remember a transcript
is like a resume!

22. GPA Calculations
The Grade Point Average (GPA) will be calculated using a multiple Tier system.
Advanced Tier – 5.0 scale – Weighting applies to Honors, AP and Dual Credit courses only.
Regular Tier – 4.0 scale – Weighting applies to regular education courses including summer school for acceleration.
Modified Tier – 3.0 scale – Weighting applies to modified curriculum and/or instruction such as special education, credit recovery & summer school credit for remediation.

23. GPA Conversion Chart

24. How is the GPA calculated?
The transcript will list the courses taken by Subject Area.
Under column SE, if the course was taken on an advanced level, it will be documented with an “H”, “P” or “D” the Adv. Tier level is used.
Find the grade the student earned, then follow across chart to the Tier level of the course to locate the points received.

25. Example
In this example, the “H” under the SE column designates that this course was taught on an Honors level, therefore the Advanced Tier column will be the points this student receives for the GPA calculations.

27. Locate the grade on the chart and follow across, under the appropriate Tier level for that course, to the grade points for each semester of all courses the student has taken. Add all the points and divide by the total number of semesters. This will be the GPA used for Class Ranking.

28. How is the College 4 Point calculated?
The College 4 Point is not based on a Course Tier level. All courses are the same and follow the chart below.
Add the total points for each semester grade and then divide by the total # of semesters.
Grade
Points
100 – 90 4
89 – 80 3
79 – 70 2
69 & below