1. (a) General provisions.

   1. (1) A school district must provide at least three days between January 1 and June 30 and three days between July 1 and December 31 annually when examinations for acceleration required under Texas Education Code, §28.023, shall be administered in Grades 1-12. The days do not need to be consecutive but must be designed to meet the needs of all students. The dates must be publicized in the community.
   2. (2) A school district shall not charge for an exam for acceleration. If a parent requests an alternative examination, the district may administer and recognize results of a test purchased by the parent or student from Texas Tech University or The University of Texas at Austin.
   3. (3) A school district must have the approval of the district board of trustees to develop its own tests or to purchase examinations that thoroughly test the essential knowledge and skills in the applicable grade level or subject area.
   4. (4) A school district may allow a student to accelerate at a time other than one required in paragraph (1) of this subsection by developing a cost-free option approved by the district board of trustees that allows students to demonstrate academic achievement or proficiency in a subject or grade level.

2. (b) Assessment for acceleration in kindergarten through Grade 5.

   1. (1) A school district must develop procedures for kindergarten acceleration that are approved by the district board of trustees.

   2. (2) A student in any of Grades 1-5 must be accelerated one grade if he or she meets the following requirements.

      1. (A) The student scores 90% on a criterion-referenced test for the grade level he or she wants to skip in each of the following areas: language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
      2. (B) A school district representative recommends that the student be accelerated.
      3. (C) The student's parent or guardian gives written approval for the acceleration.

3. (c) Assessment for course credit in Grades 6-12.

   1. (1) A student in any of Grades 6-12 must be given credit for an academic subject in which he or she has had no prior instruction if the student scores 90% on a criterion-referenced test for the applicable course.
   2. (2) If a student is given credit in a subject on the basis of an examination, the school district must enter the examination score on the student's transcript.

Source Note:The provisions of this §74.24 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 7240; amended to be effective September 1, 1998, 23 TexReg 5675.