SRC-MKV H.B. 1387 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 1387
77R14242 EBy: Dukes (Barrientos)
Education
5/11/2001
Engrossed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a high school student is automatically admitted to an
institution of higher education if the student graduates with a grade point
average in the top 10 percent of the student's high school graduating
class. Because some high schools have special programs such as magnet
schools on the same campus, the method of calculating the class ranking of
students in a special program in relationship to the class ranking of the
other students of the high school has become an issue. H.B. 1387 separates
the class ranking of a special program that is on the same campus as a high
school from the class ranking of the other students of the high school for
the purposes of top 10 percent admissions.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 51U, Education Code, by adding Section 51.8045,
as follows: 

Sec. 51.8045.  GRADUATES OF CERTAIN SPECIAL HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS. (a)
Authorizes the governing body of a school district, for purposes of
Sections 51.803 and 51.804 only, to treat a high school magnet program,
academy, or other special program conducted by the school district at a
high school attended by high school students who are not students of the
special program as an independent high school with its own graduating class
separate from the graduating class of other students attending the high
school under certain conditions. 
  
 (b)  Provides that this section does not apply to the manner in which the
members of a graduating class of the high school as a whole, including
graduates of the special program, are ranked by grade point average for
purposes other than admissions under Sections 51.803 and 51.804. 
 
SECTION 2. (a)  Makes application of this Act prospective.

(b)  Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies to an
applicant for admission as an undergraduate student of a general academic
teaching institution who graduated before the effective date of this Act
from a high school at which a special high school program described by
Section 51.8045, Education Code, as added by this Act, was conducted in the
year the applicant graduated if the school district treated the students of
the special program as a separate graduating class in that year
substantially as provided by Section 51.8045, Education Code, as added by
this Act. 
 
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.