BILL ANALYSIS
By: Howard
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under Current law, students who have exemplary academic performance but have attended unaccredited private schools or have been home-schooled are discriminated against when they apply for various grants and scholarships offered by the State of Texas. These grants and scholarships are provided using state tax dollars and should be available equally to those that can meet fair standards. CSHB 530 would make these grants available to every qualified student by removing discriminatory barriers.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. States that an institution of higher education or state agency that awards financial aid of any kind to students to attend public or private institutions of higher education may not in awarding that aid discriminate against a student based on the type of primary or secondary school the student attended.
SECTION 2. Amends the eligibility requirements for a student to be awarded a TEXAS grant to include graduates of home schools and un-accredited private high schools.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies beginning with student financial aid awarded for the 2006-2007 academic year. The change in law does not affect student financial aid awarded for an academic period before that academic year, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. Effective date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote of all 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, 2005.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute clarifies the caption and renames the title of the Act.
The substitute removes redundant language which requires that home school graduates and graduates of unaccredited private schools be treated the same as public high school graduates.
The substitute deletes language which prohibits institutions of higher education or state agencies from awarding scholarships or financial aid based on grade point average or any other measure of academic performance, other than a person's Scholastic Assessment Test or American College Test scores.
The substitute does not repeal Section 56.304 (f) of the Education Code.