78R3003 CAS-D

By:  Castro                                                       H.B. No. 612



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to notice to certain public school high school seniors  and 
their parents or guardians of automatic college admission.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 28.026, Education Code, is amended to 
read as follows:   
	Sec. 28.026.  NOTICE OF AUTOMATIC COLLEGE ADMISSION. (a)
The board of trustees of a school district shall require each high 
school in the district to post appropriate signs in each 
counselor's office, in each principal's office, and in each 
administrative building indicating the substance of Section 51.803 
regarding automatic college admission.  To assist in the 
dissemination of this information, the school district shall:
		(1)  require that each high school counselor and class 
advisor be provided a detailed explanation of the substance of 
Section 51.803;
		(2)  require that each high school counselor and senior 
class advisor explain to eligible students the substance of Section 
51.803;  and
		(3)  not later than October 15 of a class's senior year, 
provide each eligible senior student under Section 51.803 and the 
student's parent or guardian[, at the commencement of a class's 
senior year,] with a written notification of the student's 
eligibility with an easily understandable, [a] detailed 
explanation of the substance of Section 51.803.
	(b)  The agency shall adopt a form to use in providing notice 
under Subsection (a)(3).  In providing notice under Subsection 
(a)(3), a school district shall use the form adopted by the agency.
	SECTION 2.  (a)  The Texas Education Agency shall adopt a 
form for notifying eligible high school seniors and their parents 
or guardians of automatic college admission as required by Section 
28.026, Education Code, as amended by this Act, as soon as 
practicable after the effective date of this Act.
	(b)  A school district shall provide notice to eligible high 
school seniors and their parents or guardians of automatic college 
admission as required by Section 28.026, Education Code, as amended 
by this Act, beginning with the 2003-2004 school year.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.