Contact Gov. Greg Abbott today and urge him to sign SB 149 as soon as possible

Contact Gov. Greg Abbott today and urge him to sign SB 149 as soon as possible!

The Legislature has passed Sen. Kel Seliger’s (R-Amarillo) Senate Bill 149, which would require school districts and charter schools to establish individual graduation committees to determine whether to confer a diploma upon students who have passed all courses required for graduation but have failed required end-of-course exams. Both the Senate and the House passed the bill by overwhelming margins, making the bill effective upon signing by the governor or his allowing it to become law without his signature.

Rumors are surfacing that groups are asking the governor to veto the bill because it reduces academic rigor. Call or e-mail Gov. Abbott today and urge him to sign SB 149 as soon as possible so that schools may begin setting up these committees to help qualified students earn their diplomas this year!

Talking points:

• SB 149 provides a path to high school graduation for students who have met all graduation requirements but have failed STAAR end-of-course tests in up to two courses.
• Only students who have passed all courses required for graduation are eligible to participate in the graduation committee process.
• Students must complete a comprehensive course project or portfolio of work to demonstrate their mastery of course subject matter.
• This bill will not help every student graduate. It will help those few who have done everything asked of them but are unable to pass standardized state assessments that have many parents, educators and legislators concerned about test validity and usefulness.

Call the Governor’s office at (512) 463-1782 and respectfully request that the Governor sign SB 149 as soon as possible. You may also e-mail the governor.