HBA-KDB H.B. 3631 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3631 By: Turner, Sylvester Public Education 4/2/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In recent years, the Texas school system has underdone dramatic changes in implementing accountability measures in the form of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test. The next phase of Texas' long-term plan of improvement is the implementation of the TAAS II exam starting in 2003. However, there is concern, with the introduction of this new test, that the percentage of students who do not pass the exam will increase temporarily, as teachers and students learn how to address the new material. House Bill 3631 provides more time for students and their teachers to prepare and develop techniques to address the updated material in the assessment instrument before satisfactory performance on the assessment instrument becomes a requirement for promotion. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 3631 amends the Education Code to modify the school year in which students are required to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument to advance to the next grade level from 2002 - 2003 to 2003 - 2004 for students in the third grade, from 2004 - 2005 to 2005 - 2006 for students in the fifth grade, and from 2007 - 2008 to 2008 - 2009 for students in the eight grade. These provisions expire on September 1, 2009, rather than January 1, 2008. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.