Consideration of Petition for Adoption of Rule Change Concerning
19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements,
Subchapter F, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2007-2008
May 21, 2010
COMMITTEE OF THE FULL BOARD: ACTION
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION: ACTION
SUMMARY: A petition to amend 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter F, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2007-2008, has been received from Ms. Maria Whitsett. The petition requests that a school district, in accordance with local district policy, allow a student who will be a senior in the 2010-2011 school year to substitute certain two- or three-credit career and technology work-based training courses to satisfy the state graduation credit in physical education. This item provides the opportunity for the State Board of Education (SBOE) to consider the petition and specific amendments related to the petition.
STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Texas Government Code, §2001.021; 19 TAC §30.1; and Texas Education Code (TEC), §§7.102(c)(4), 28.002, and 28.025.
EFFECTIVE DATE: None.
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION: The SBOE adopted rules in 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter F, to be effective September 1, 2005. Section 74.61, High School Graduation Requirements, was last amended to be effective December 25, 2007. Sections 74.63, Recommended High School Program, and 74.64, Distinguished Achievement High School Program--Advanced High School Program, were amended to be effective January 9, 2007. Section 74.62, Minimum High School Program, has not been amended since adoption. Proposed amendments to 19 TAC Chapter 74, Subchapter F, were approved for second reading and final adoption at the January 2010 SBOE meeting, but have not been filed as adopted with the Texas Register.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND SIGNIFICANT ISSUES: Ms. Maria Whitsett has submitted to the SBOE a petition requesting that a school district, in accordance with local district policy, allow a student who will be a senior in the 2010-2011 school year to substitute certain two- or three-credit career and technology work-based training courses to satisfy the state graduation credit in physical education. The petition, which provides the petitioner's rationale and justification, is presented in Attachment II of this item.
In response to this petition, the SBOE may opt to reconsider recently approved changes to 19 TAC §74.61, High School Graduation Requirements, or deny the request.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
PUBLIC AND STUDENT BENEFIT: None.
PROCEDURAL AND REPORTING IMPLICATIONS: None.
LOCALLY MAINTAINED PAPERWORK REQUIREMENTS: None.
PUBLIC COMMENTS: At the time this item was prepared, the following individuals had expressed support for Ms. Whitsett's petition: Robin Painovich, Executive Director, Career and Technology Association of Texas (CTAT); Johnny Veselka, Executive Director, Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA); Tommy Hill, Building Trades Instructor, Gilmer Independent School District (ISD); Bobbie Goines, Health Science Technology Instructor, Whitehouse ISD; Melissa Haggerty, Family and Consumer Science Instructor, Socorro ISD; Debra Ellis, Counselor, Birdville ISD; Becky Lusk, Family and Consumer Science Instructor, Socorro ISD; and Jan Walker, Counselor, Austin ISD.
OTHER COMMENTS AND RELATED ISSUES: None.
COMMISSIONER'S RECOMMENDATION: I recommend that the State Board of Education:
Amend recently approved changes to 19 TAC §74.61, High School Graduation Requirements, to allow a student who will be a senior in the 2010-2011 school year to substitute certain two- or three-credit career and technology work-based training courses to satisfy the state graduation credit in physical education.
Respectfully submitted,
Robert Scott
Commissioner of Education
Staff Members Responsible:
Anita Givens, Associate Commissioner
Standards and Programs
Norma Torres-Martinez, Deputy Associate Commissioner
Standards and Alignment
Monica Martinez, Managing Director
Curriculum
Attachments:
I. Statutory Citations
II. Petition to Amend 19 TAC Chapter 74, Curriculum Requirements, Subchapter F, Graduation Requirements, Beginning with School Year 2007-2008