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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to student discretion to use an alternative assessment |
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instrument as part of their undergraduate admissions process. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 39.0261(a), Education Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) In addition to the assessment instruments otherwise |
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authorized or required by this subchapter: |
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(1) each school year and at state cost, a school |
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district may administer to students in the spring of the eighth |
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grade an established, valid, reliable, and nationally |
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norm-referenced preliminary college preparation assessment |
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instrument for the purpose of diagnosing the academic strengths and |
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deficiencies of students before entrance into high school; |
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(2) each school year and at state cost, a school |
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district may administer to students in the 10th grade an |
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established, valid, reliable, and nationally norm-referenced |
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preliminary college preparation assessment instrument for the |
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purpose of measuring a student's progress toward readiness for |
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college and the workplace; and |
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(3) high school students in the spring of the 11th |
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grade or during the 12th grade may select and take once, at state |
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cost: |
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(A) one of the valid, reliable, and nationally |
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norm-referenced assessment instruments used by colleges and |
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universities as part of their undergraduate admissions processes, |
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including the SAT, the ACT, or the Classic Learning Test (CLT); or |
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(B) the assessment instrument designated by the |
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Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334. |
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SECTION 2. Section 51.803(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Subject to Subsection (a-1), each general academic |
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teaching institution shall admit an applicant for admission to the |
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institution as an undergraduate student if the applicant graduated |
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with a grade point average in the top 10 percent of the student's |
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high school graduating class in one of the two school years |
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preceding the academic year for which the applicant is applying for |
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admission and: |
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(1) the applicant: |
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(A) graduated from a public or private high |
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school in this state accredited by a generally recognized |
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accrediting organization or from a high school operated by the |
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United States Department of Defense; or |
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(B) completed a nontraditional secondary |
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education as defined by Section 51.9241; |
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(2) the applicant: |
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(A) successfully completed: |
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(i) at a public high school, the curriculum |
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requirements established under Section 28.025 for the |
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distinguished level of achievement under the foundation high school |
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program; or |
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(ii) at a high school to which Section |
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28.025 does not apply, a curriculum that is equivalent in content |
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and rigor to the distinguished level of achievement under the |
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foundation high school program; or |
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(B) either: |
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(i) satisfied ACT's College Readiness |
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Benchmarks on the ACT assessment applicable to the applicant; or |
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(ii) earned: |
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(a) on the SAT assessment a score of |
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at least 1,500 out of 2,400 or the equivalent; |
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(b) on the Classic Learning Test |
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assessment a score of at least 71 out of 120 or the equivalent; or |
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(iii) on a college entrance examination |
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designated by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and to |
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which Subparagraphs (i) and (ii) do not apply, achieved a score set |
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by coordinating board rule; and |
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(3) if the applicant graduated from a high school |
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operated by the United States Department of Defense, the applicant |
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is a Texas resident under Section 54.052 or is entitled to pay |
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tuition fees at the rate provided for Texas residents under Section |
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54.241(d) for the term or semester to which admitted. |
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SECTION 3. Section 51.805(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A graduating student who does not qualify for admission |
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under Section 51.803 or 51.804 may apply to any general academic |
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teaching institution if the student: |
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(1) successfully completed: |
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(A) at a public high school, the curriculum |
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requirements established under Section 28.025 for the foundation |
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high school program; or |
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(B) at a high school to which Section 28.025 does |
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not apply, a curriculum that is equivalent in content and rigor to |
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the foundation high school program; or |
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(2) either: |
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(A) satisfied ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks |
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on the ACT assessment applicable to the applicant; or |
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(B) earned: |
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(i) on the SAT assessment a score of at |
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least 1,500 out of 2,400 or the equivalent; |
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(ii) on the Classic Learning Test |
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assessment a score of at least 71 out of 120 or the equivalent; or |
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(C) on a college entrance examination designated |
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by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and to which |
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Paragraphs (A) and (B) do not apply, achieved a score set by |
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coordinating board rule. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply |
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beginning with admissions to a general academic teaching |
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institution for the 2026 fall semester. Admissions to a general |
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academic teaching institution for a term or semester before the |
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2026 fall semester are governed by the law in effect immediately |
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before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. 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, 2025. |