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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the determination of student priority in awarding TEXAS |
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grants. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 56.303, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (e), (f), (g), and |
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(h) to read as follows: |
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(d) In determining who should receive a TEXAS grant, the |
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coordinating board [and the eligible institutions] shall give |
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highest priority to awarding TEXAS grants to students who |
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demonstrate the greatest financial need. |
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(e) In determining who should receive a TEXAS grant, each |
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eligible institution shall give highest priority to awarding TEXAS |
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grants to students who: |
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(1) demonstrate the greatest financial need; and |
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(2) beginning with grants awarded for the 2015-2016 |
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academic year, meet the merit criteria adopted by the eligible |
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institution under Subsection (f). |
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(f) Subject to coordinating board approval in accordance |
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with rules adopted under Subsection (h), each eligible institution |
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shall adopt merit criteria for determining student priority in |
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awarding TEXAS grants. The merit criteria must promote the |
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participation goals and targets of the most recent revision of |
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"Closing the Gaps," the state's master plan for higher education, |
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and be based on at least two of the following achievement standards |
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for each student: |
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(1) percentile rank according to high school |
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graduating class standing based on grade point average; |
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(2) grade point average; |
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(3) completion of the advanced high school program or |
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an international baccalaureate program; |
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(4) achievement of a score on the Scholastic |
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Assessment Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT) that |
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qualifies the student for an exemption under Section 51.3062(p); or |
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(5) demonstration of the performance standard for |
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college readiness as provided by Section 39.024 on the Algebra II |
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and English III end-of-course assessment instruments. |
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(g) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year |
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beginning in 2016, each eligible institution shall submit to the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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the presiding officer of the standing committee of each house of the |
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legislature with primary jurisdiction over higher education, and |
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the coordinating board a report addressing the impact of using the |
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merit criteria adopted by the institution under Subsection (f) for |
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determining priority in awarding TEXAS grants on the state's goal |
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of closing college access and achievement gaps under "Closing the |
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Gaps," the state's master plan for higher education. |
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(h) The coordinating board shall adopt rules for the |
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approval and implementation of the use of merit criteria adopted by |
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an eligible institution under Subsection (f). |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |