80R5665 KSD-D

By: Patrick, Dan S.B. No. 1571

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring a minimum SAT or ACT score as a prerequisite to the automatic admission of an undergraduate student to certain public institutions of higher education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 51.803, Education Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 51.803. AUTOMATIC ADMISSION: ALL INSTITUTIONS. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b), (c), and (d), each [Each] general academic teaching institution shall admit an applicant for admission to the institution as an undergraduate student if the applicant:

(1) graduated with a grade point average in the top 10 percent of the student's high school graduating class in one of the two school years preceding the academic year for which the applicant is applying for admission; and

(2) [the applicant] graduated from:

(A) a public or private high school in this state accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization; or

(B) [from] a high school operated by the United States Department of Defense, if the applicant is a Texas resident under Section 54.052 or is entitled to pay tuition fees at the rate provided for Texas residents under Section 54.058(d) for the term or semester to which admitted.

(b) If a general academic teaching institution estimates, based on admissions data for the current academic year, that the number of applicants who will qualify for automatic admission to the institution under Subsection (a) in the next academic year will exceed 50 percent of the institution's first-time undergraduate students in that academic year, the institution shall require, as an additional requirement for automatic admission to the institution in that academic year, that each applicant have received a minimum score, established by the institution as provided by Subsections (c) and (d), on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT).

(c) Not later than September 1 preceding the earliest application deadline for admission to the institution for the next academic year, an institution to which Subsection (b) applies shall:

(1) establish the minimum score that an applicant must receive on the SAT or ACT as an additional requirement for automatic admission under this section for that academic year; and

(2) widely publicize the required minimum scores in a manner designed to notify high school students in this state.

(d) For purposes of Subsection (c)(1), the minimum SAT and ACT scores must be established:

(1) based on data relating to the scores on those tests of students who previously applied to or were admitted to the institution; and

(2) at levels intended to result in the number of students who qualify for automatic admission to and enroll in the institution in that academic year will equal as nearly as possible 50 percent of the institution's first-time undergraduate students in that academic year.

(e) To qualify for admission under this section, an applicant must submit an application before the expiration of any application filing deadline established by the institution [and, if the applicant graduated from a high school operated by the United States Department of Defense, must be a Texas resident under Section 54.052 or be entitled to pay tuition fees at the rate provided for Texas residents under Section 54.058(d) for the term or semester to which admitted].

(f) [(b)] After admitting an applicant under this section, the institution shall review the applicant's record and any other factor the institution considers appropriate to determine whether the applicant may require additional preparation for college-level work or would benefit from inclusion in a retention program. The institution may require a student so identified to enroll during the summer immediately after the student is admitted under this section to participate in appropriate enrichment courses and orientation programs. This section does not prohibit a student who is not determined to need additional preparation for college-level work from enrolling, if the student chooses, during the summer immediately after the student is admitted under this section.

SECTION 2. 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) provide each district student, at the time the student first registers for one or more classes required for high school graduation, with a written notification of the substance of Section 51.803;

(3) require that each high school counselor and senior class advisor explain to eligible students the substance of Section 51.803; and

(4) [(3)] provide each eligible senior student under Section 51.803, at the commencement of a class's senior year, with a written notification of the student's eligibility with a detailed explanation of the substance of Section 51.803.

(b) The commissioner shall adopt forms to use in providing notice under Subsections (a)(2) and (4). In providing notice under Subsection (a)(2) or (4), a school district shall use the appropriate form adopted by the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner shall adopt procedures to ensure that, as soon as practicable after this subsection becomes law, each school district provides written notification of the substance of Section 51.803, as amended by the 80th Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, to each district student who, for the 2007-2008 school year, registers for one or more courses required for high school graduation. The commissioner may adopt rules under this subsection in the manner provided by law for emergency rules. Each district shall comply with the procedures adopted by the commissioner under this subsection. This subsection expires September 1, 2008.

SECTION 3. (a) The change in law made by this Act to Section 51.803, Education Code, applies beginning with admissions to a general academic teaching institution for the 2008-2009 academic year. Admissions for an academic period preceding that academic year are covered by the law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 51.803(c), Education Code, as amended by this Act, the September 1 deadline provided by that section is extended to November 1 for 2007.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.