TO: | Honorable David Dewhurst, Lieutenant Governor, Senate |
FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | SB175 by Shapiro (Relating to limitations on the automatic admission of undergraduate students to general academic teaching institutions. ), As Passed 2nd House |
The bill would amend Texas Education Code Section 51.803(a-1), relating to the current automatic admission of high school students graduating in the top ten percent of their class. The bill would authorize The University of Texas at
The bill would create a scholarship program for students who graduated in the top 10 percent of their class. Under provisions of the bill, an institution of higher education would provide to a student who receives a scholarship a credit in the amount of the scholarship, to be applied toward the payment of any amount of educational costs charged by the institution for that semester and a check, electronic transfer, or other disbursement of any remaining scholarship amount. A student must satisfy the following requirements to be initially eligible: (1) have graduated from a public or accredited private high school in this state while ranked in the top 10 percent of the student's graduating class, subject to other provisions of the legislation; (2) have completed the recommended or advanced high school curriculum or its equivalent; (3) have applied for admission as a first-time freshman student for the 2010-11 academic year or a subsequent academic year to an institution of higher education that has elected to offer admissions for that academic year under Section 51.803(a-1); (4) enroll as a first-time freshman student in an institution of higher education not earlier than the 2010-2011 academic year and not later than the 16th month after the date of the student's high school graduation; (5) have been awarded a TEXAS grant; (6) be a Texas resident; and (7) comply with any other eligibility requirements established by coordinating board rule.
The student would have to satisfy criteria, including satisfactory academic progress, to continue to receive the scholarship. The student would not be eligible for an initial or subsequent scholarship if the student was offered admission to any institution of higher education for which that insitution made admission under Section 51.803(a-1) regardless of whether the student subsequently enrolls at that institution.
In fiscal year 2009, the Higher Education Coordinating Board was appropriated $100 million in incentive funding with 80% or $80 million going to general academic teaching institutions based on degrees awarded with increased weights for critical fields and at-risk students and 20% or $20 million going to top ten percent scholarships. For purposes of this fiscal note, it is assumed that funding will continue in fiscal year 2010-11, and any costs associated with the scholarship program, including administrative costs, will be covered by the appropriation.
Source Agencies: | 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board
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LBB Staff: | JOB, KK, RT, GO, SK
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