Sec. 39.025.  SECONDARY-LEVEL PERFORMANCE REQUIRED.  (a)  The commissioner shall adopt rules requiring a student in the foundation high school program under Section 28.025 to be administered an end-of-course assessment instrument listed in Section 39.023(c) only for a course in which the student is enrolled and for which an end-of-course assessment instrument is administered.  A student is required to achieve a scale score that indicates satisfactory performance, as determined by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), on each end-of-course assessment instrument administered to the student.  For each scale score required under this subsection that is not based on a 100-point scale scoring system, the commissioner shall provide for conversion, in accordance with commissioner rule, of the scale score to an equivalent score based on a 100-point scale scoring system.   A student may not receive a high school diploma until the student has performed satisfactorily on end-of-course assessment instruments in the manner provided under this subsection.  This subsection does not require a student to demonstrate readiness to enroll in an institution of higher education.
(a-1)  A student enrolled in a college preparatory mathematics or English language arts course under Section 28.014 who satisfies the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on an assessment instrument designated by the coordinating board under that section administered at the end of the college preparatory mathematics or English language arts course satisfies the requirements concerning and is exempt from the administration of the Algebra I or the English I and English II end-of-course assessment instruments, as applicable, as prescribed by Section 39.023(c), even if the student did not perform satisfactorily on a previous administration of the applicable end-of-course assessment instrument. A student who fails to perform satisfactorily on the assessment instrument designated by the coordinating board under Section 51.334 administered as provided by this subsection may retake that assessment instrument for purposes of this subsection or may take the appropriate end-of-course assessment instrument.
(a-2)  The commissioner shall determine a method by which a student's satisfactory performance on an advanced placement test, an international baccalaureate examination, an SAT Subject Test, the SAT, the ACT, or any nationally recognized norm-referenced assessment instrument used by institutions of higher education to award course credit based on satisfactory performance on the assessment instrument shall be used to satisfy the requirements concerning an end-of-course assessment instrument in an equivalent course as prescribed by Subsection (a).  The commissioner shall determine a method by which a student's satisfactory performance on the PSAT or the ACT-Plan shall be used to satisfy the requirements concerning an end-of-course assessment instrument in an equivalent course as prescribed by Subsection (a).  A student who fails to perform satisfactorily on a test or other assessment instrument authorized under this subsection, other than the PSAT or the ACT-Plan, may retake that test or other assessment instrument for purposes of this subsection or may take the appropriate end-of-course assessment instrument.  A student who fails to perform satisfactorily on the PSAT or the ACT-Plan must take the appropriate end-of-course assessment instrument.  The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary for the administration of this subsection.
(a-3)  A student who, after retaking an end-of-course assessment instrument for Algebra I or English II, has failed to perform satisfactorily as required by Subsection (a), but who receives a score of proficient on the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) diagnostic assessment for the corresponding subject for which the student failed to perform satisfactorily on the end-of-course assessment instrument satisfies the requirement concerning the Algebra I or English II end-of-course assessment, as applicable.
(a-4)  The admission, review, and dismissal committee of a student in a special education program under Subchapter A, Chapter 29, shall determine whether, to receive a high school diploma, the student is required to achieve satisfactory performance on end-of-course assessment instruments.
(a-5)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a student who has failed to perform satisfactorily on end-of-course assessment instruments in the manner provided under this section may receive a high school diploma if the student has qualified for graduation under Section 28.0258.
(b)  Each time an end-of-course assessment instrument adopted under Section 39.023(c) is administered, a student who failed to achieve a score requirement under Subsection (a) may retake the assessment instrument.   A student is not required to retake a course as a condition of retaking an end-of-course assessment instrument.
(b-1)  A school district shall provide each student who fails to perform satisfactorily as determined by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a) on an end-of-course assessment instrument with accelerated instruction under Section 28.0211 in the subject assessed by the assessment instrument.
(b-2)  Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 934 , Sec. 5(3), eff. June 18, 2015.
(c)  A student who has been denied a high school diploma under this section and who subsequently performs at the level necessary to comply with the requirements of this section shall be issued a high school diploma.
(c-1)  A school district may not administer an assessment instrument required for graduation administered under this section as this section existed:
(1)  before September 1, 1999; or
(2)  before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007.
(c-2)  A school district may administer to a student who failed to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument described by Subsection (c-1) an alternate assessment instrument designated by the commissioner.  The commissioner shall determine the level of performance considered to be satisfactory on an alternate assessment instrument.  The district may not administer to the student an assessment instrument or a part of an assessment instrument that assesses a subject that was not assessed in an assessment instrument applicable to the student described by Subsection (c-1).  The commissioner shall make available to districts information necessary to administer the alternate assessment instrument authorized by this subsection.  The commissioner's determination regarding designation of an appropriate alternate assessment instrument under this subsection and the performance required on the assessment instrument is final and may not be appealed.
(d)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the commissioner by rule shall adopt one or more alternative nationally recognized norm referenced assessment instruments under this section to administer to a student to qualify for a high school diploma if the student enrolls after January 1 of the school year in which the student is otherwise eligible to graduate:
(1)  for the first time in a public school in this state; or
(2)  after an absence of at least four years from any public school in this state.
(e)  The commissioner shall establish a required performance level for an assessment instrument adopted under Subsection (d) that is at least as rigorous as the performance level required to be met under Subsection (a).
(e-1)  Nothing in this section has the effect of prohibiting the administration of an end-of-course assessment instrument listed in Section 39.023(c) to a student enrolled below the high school level who is enrolled in the course for which the assessment instrument is adopted.  The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to ensure that the student's performance on the assessment instrument is considered in the same manner for purposes of this section as the performance of a student enrolled at the high school level.
(f)  The commissioner shall by rule adopt a transition plan to implement the amendments made by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, replacing general subject assessment instruments administered at the high school level with end-of-course assessment instruments.  The rules must provide for the end-of-course assessment instruments adopted under Section 39.023(c) to be administered beginning with students enrolled in the ninth grade for the first time during the 2011-2012 school year.  During the period under which the transition to end-of-course assessment instruments is made:
(1)  for students entering a grade above the ninth grade during the 2011-2012 school year or students repeating ninth grade during the 2011-2012 school year, the commissioner shall retain, administer, and use for purposes of accreditation and other campus and district accountability measures under this chapter the assessment instruments required by Section 39.023(a) or (c), as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007; and
(2)  a student subject to Subdivision (1) may not receive a high school diploma unless the student has performed satisfactorily on the SAT, the ACT, the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) diagnostic assessment, or the current assessment instrument or instruments administered for graduation purposes as provided by Subsection (f-1) or on each required assessment instrument administered under Section 39.023(c), as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007.
(f-1)  The commissioner shall establish satisfactory performance levels for the SAT, the ACT, the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) diagnostic assessment, and the current assessment instrument or instruments administered for graduation purposes that are equivalent in rigor to the performance level required to be met under Subsection (a), as that subsection existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, that qualify a student subject to Subsection (f)(1) to receive a high school diploma.  Notwithstanding Subsection (f), the commissioner is not required after September 1, 2017, to maintain and administer assessment instruments administered under Section 39.023(c), as that section existed before amendment by Chapter 1312 (S.B. No. 1031), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007.
(f-2)  A school district shall determine which assessment or assessments described by Subsection (f-1) qualify a student subject to Subsection (f)(1) to receive a high school diploma from the district.
(g)  Rules adopted under Subsection (f) must require that each student who will be subject to the requirements of Subsection (a) is entitled to notice of the specific requirements applicable to the student.  Notice under this subsection must be provided not later than the date the student enters the eighth grade.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.  Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 767, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 397, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: 
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 164 (H.B. 25), Sec. 6, eff. May 27, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1312 (S.B. 1031), Sec. 10, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 895 (H.B. 3), Sec. 54, eff. June 19, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 307 (H.B. 2135), Sec. 4, eff. June 17, 2011.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 211 (H.B. 5), Sec. 35(a), eff. June 10, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 211 (H.B. 5), Sec. 36(a), eff. September 1, 2014.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 211 (H.B. 5), Sec. 78(a)(5), eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 5 (S.B. 149), Sec. 4, eff. May 11, 2015.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 934 (H.B. 2349), Sec. 4, eff. June 18, 2015.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 934 (H.B. 2349), Sec. 5(3), eff. June 18, 2015.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1036 (H.B. 1613), Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 2015.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 549 (S.B. 463), Sec. 9, eff. June 9, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 549 (S.B. 463), Sec. 10, eff. June 9, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 549 (S.B. 463), Sec. 11, eff. September 1, 2019.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 722 (S.B. 1005), Sec. 1, eff. June 12, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 842 (H.B. 2223), Sec. 2.04, eff. June 15, 2017.
Redesignated and amended by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 14 (S.B. 213), Sec. 8, eff. May 7, 2019.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 14 (S.B. 213), Sec. 9, eff. May 7, 2019.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 321 (H.B. 1603), Sec. 4, eff. June 7, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 910 (H.B. 4545), Sec. 5, eff. June 16, 2021.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 404 (H.B. 1416), Sec. 4, eff. June 9, 2023.