| (a) To receive a high school diploma, a student entering
Grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school year and thereafter must complete
the following:
(1) in accordance with subsection (d) of this section,
requirements of the Foundation High School Program specified in §74.12
of this title (relating to Foundation High School Program);
(2) testing requirements for graduation as specified
in Chapter 101 of this title (relating to Assessment); and
(3) demonstrated proficiency, in Grade 8 or higher,
as determined by the district in which the student is enrolled, in
delivering clear verbal messages; choosing effective nonverbal behaviors;
listening for desired results; applying valid critical-thinking and
problem-solving processes; and identifying, analyzing, developing,
and evaluating communication skills needed for professional and social
success in interpersonal situations, group interactions, and personal
and professional presentations.
(b) Beginning with students enrolled in Grade 12 during
the 2021-2022 school year, each student in Grade 12 must complete
and submit a free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) or a
Texas application for state financial aid (TASFA) before graduating
from high school.
(1) A student may graduate under the Foundation High
School Program without completing a financial aid application if:
(A) the student's parent or other person standing in
parental relation submits a signed form, approved by the Texas Education
Agency (TEA), indicating that the parent or other person declines
to complete and submit the application or authorizes the student to
decline to complete and submit the financial aid application;
(B) the student signs and submits the form described
by paragraph (1) of this subsection on the student's own behalf if
the student is 18 years of age or older or has been emancipated under
Texas Family Code, Chapter 31; or
(C) a school counselor authorizes the student to decline
to complete and submit the financial aid application for good cause,
as determined by the school counselor.
(2) A school counselor may not indicate that a student
has not complied with this subsection if the school district or open-enrollment
charter school fails to provide the form described by paragraph (1)(A)
of this subsection to the student or the student's parent or guardian.
(c) A school district shall clearly indicate the distinguished
level of achievement under the Foundation High School Program, an
endorsement, and a performance acknowledgment on the transcript or
academic achievement record (AAR) of a student who satisfies the applicable
requirements.
(d) A student entering Grade 9 in the 2014-2015 school
year and thereafter shall enroll in the courses necessary to complete
the curriculum requirements for the Foundation High School Program
specified in §74.12 of this title and the curriculum requirements
for at least one endorsement specified in §74.13 of this title
(relating to Endorsements).
(e) A student may graduate under the Foundation High
School Program without earning an endorsement if, after the student's
sophomore year:
(1) the student and the student's parent or person
standing in parental relation to the student are advised by a school
counselor of the specific benefits of graduating from high school
with one or more endorsements; and
(2) the student's parent or person standing in parental
relation to the student files with a school counselor written permission,
on a form adopted by the TEA, allowing the student to graduate under
the Foundation High School Program without earning an endorsement.
(f) A student may earn a distinguished level of achievement
by successfully completing the curriculum requirements for the Foundation
High School Program and the curriculum requirements for at least one
endorsement required by the Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.025(b-15),
including four credits in science and four credits in mathematics
to include Algebra II.
(g) An out-of-state or out-of-country transfer student
(including foreign exchange students) or a transfer student from a
Texas nonpublic school is eligible to receive a Texas diploma but
must complete all requirements of this section to satisfy state graduation
requirements. Any course credit required in this section that is not
completed by the student before he or she enrolls in a Texas school
district may be satisfied through the provisions of §74.23 of
this title (relating to Correspondence Courses and Distance Learning)
and §74.24 of this title (relating to Credit by Examination)
or by completing the course or courses according to the provisions
of §74.26 of this title (relating to Award of Credit).
(h) Elective credits may be selected from the following:
(1) high school courses not required for graduation
that are listed in the following chapters of this title:
(A) Chapter 110 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading);
(B) Chapter 111 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Mathematics);
(C) Chapter 112 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Science);
(D) Chapter 113 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies);
(E) Chapter 114 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Languages Other Than English);
(F) Chapter 115 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Health Education);
(G) Chapter 116 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Physical Education);
(H) Chapter 117 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Fine Arts);
(I) Chapter 127 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Career Development and Career and Technical
Education); and
(J) Chapter 130 of this title (relating to Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education);
(2) state-approved innovative courses as specified
in §74.27 of this title (relating to Innovative Courses and Programs);
(3) Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC)--one
to four credits;
(4) Driver Education--one-half credit; and
(5) College preparatory English language arts or mathematics
courses developed and offered pursuant to the TEC, §28.014.
(i) Courses offered for dual credit at or in conjunction
with an institution of higher education that provide advanced academic
instruction beyond, or in greater depth than, the essential knowledge
and skills for the equivalent high school course required for graduation
may satisfy graduation requirements, including requirements for required
courses, advanced courses, and courses for elective credit as well
as requirements for endorsements.
(j) A student may not be enrolled in a course that
has a required prerequisite unless:
(1) the student has successfully completed the prerequisite
course(s);
(2) the student has demonstrated equivalent knowledge
as determined by the school district; or
(3) the student was already enrolled in the course
in an out-of-state, an out-of-country, or a Texas nonpublic school
and transferred to a Texas public school prior to successfully completing
the course.
(k) A district may exempt a student from a specific
career and technical education (CTE) course prerequisite for a CTE
course that satisfies a mathematics or science credit if the district
determines the student is not using the course to complete a CTE program
of study.
(l) A district may award credit for a course a student
completed without meeting the prerequisites if the student completed
the course in an out-of-state, an out-of-country, or a Texas nonpublic
school where there was not a prerequisite.
(m) A district shall allow a student who successfully
completes AP Computer Science A or IB Computer Science Higher Level
to satisfy both one advanced mathematics requirement and one languages
other than English requirement for graduation.
(n) Each school district shall annually report to the
TEA the names of the locally developed courses, programs, institutions
of higher education, and internships in which the district's students
have enrolled as authorized by the TEC, §28.002(g-1). The TEA
shall make available information provided under this subsection to
other districts. If a district chooses, it may submit any locally
developed course for approval under §74.27 of this title as an
innovative course.
Cont'd... |
