Senate Bill No. 2187 amends the Education Code in Texas to update the assessment instruments used for evaluating public school students. The bill removes references to "end-of-course" assessments, replacing them with "assessment instruments administered under Section 39.023(c)," which will now be required for high school graduation. Students must perform satisfactorily on these new assessments to receive their diplomas, although alternative pathways to graduation are provided for those who do not meet the performance criteria. The bill also mandates that school districts offer accelerated instruction to students who fail to achieve satisfactory results.

Additionally, the bill introduces guidelines for individual graduation committees and clarifies that certain assessments are not required for students in advanced courses. It emphasizes the importance of timely communication of assessment results to educators and establishes a transition plan for implementing these changes, starting with students entering ninth grade in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill aims to streamline the assessment process, enhance support for at-risk students, and ensure compliance with federal requirements, with the changes set to take effect in the 2027-2028 school year unless expedited by a two-thirds vote.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Education Code 18.006, Education Code 25.005, Education Code 28.014, Education Code 39.023, Education Code 28.0258, Education Code 29.081, Education Code 29.087, Education Code 29.099, Education Code 39.0232, Education Code 39.0234, Education Code 39.024, Education Code 39.025, Education Code 39.034, Education Code 39.035, Education Code 39.036, Education Code 39.203, Education Code 51.338 (Education Code 18, Education Code 28, Education Code 51, Education Code 39, Education Code 29, Education Code 25)