Class of 2015 students who have not passed the state end-of-course exams may still be able to get their diplomas.

On Tuesday, March 17, the Texas Senate passed a bill that would allow students who have failed up to two of the five end-of-course tests to receive their diploma. Proposed by Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, the bill now moves to the Texas House for consideration.

“We’re talking about kids who have already been accepted to college and have done well in things like International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement,” said Seliger in an article in the Houston Chronicle. “They don’t pass those high-stakes tests, that doesn’t necessarily mean they shouldn’t graduate from high school.”

To receive their diplomas, students will have to get a passing grade in all of their core classes, pass at least three of the state standardized tests, and get a testing waiver signed by a school committee. The committees will be made up of principals, counselors, teachers and parents, who will then decide whether or not a junior or senior is worthing of passing.

“We have an over-reliance on standardized tests,” Christine Fougerousse, AHS Advanced Academics coordinator, said. “I think if teachers get together and decide that a student deserves to graduate and the student has all the credits needed to pass, professional judgement should always play a role.”

The bill was developed to help out seniors and juniors who need some extra help due to their inability to get a passing grade on the tests. This bill is estimated to target about 10 percent (apx. 28,000) of the current high school senior population in the state of Texas.

Some feel that this bill will give students too much slack and make it too easy.

“We are disappointed the Senate is going to effectively eliminate any substantive requirement for juniors and seniors to prove they are college- or career-ready when they graduate,” said Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of Business, in an article in the Dallas Morning News. “It also reduces the value of the diploma for all those who worked hard in school and proved their skills on these tests.”

Other detractors also feel that the committee process might leave an opening for students and parents to take advantage of but not everyone believes that will happen.

“The fact that you have to go through a committee process prevents students from taking advantage,” Fougerousse said.

The bill will be debated in the House Committee and if it passes, will move onto the governor.