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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the consideration of college entrance examinations for |
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admission to certain public institutions of higher education and a |
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study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding |
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those examinations. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. 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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(A) [(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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(B) [(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) satisfied ACT's College Readiness |
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Benchmarks on the ACT assessment applicable to the applicant or |
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earned on the SAT assessment a score of at least 1,500 out of 2,400 |
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or the equivalent;] 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 2. 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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(1) [(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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(2) [(B)] at a high school to which Section 28.025 |
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does not apply, a curriculum that is equivalent in content and rigor |
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to the foundation high school program[; or |
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[(2) satisfied ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks on |
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the ACT assessment applicable to the applicant or earned on the SAT |
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assessment a score of at least 1,500 out of 2,400 or the |
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equivalent]. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter U, Chapter 51, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 51.8031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 51.8031. STUDY ON COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION SCORES. |
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(a) In this section, "coordinating board" means the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board. |
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(b) The coordinating board shall conduct a study on college |
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entrance examinations to determine which examinations, and the |
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requisite score for each examination, should be used as a criterion |
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for admission to a general academic teaching institution. |
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(c) The study must: |
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(1) identify each college entrance examination with |
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sufficient rigor and reliability to be used as a criterion for |
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admission to a general academic teaching institution; and |
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(2) determine the score for each examination |
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identified under Subdivision (1) that demonstrates adequate |
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performance for purposes of admission to a general academic |
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teaching institution. |
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(d) Not later than August 1, 2026, the coordinating board |
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shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker |
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of the house of representatives, and the chair of each standing |
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legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over higher |
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education a report on the results of the study and any |
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recommendations for legislative or other action. |
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(e) This section expires September 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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51.803(a) and 51.805(a), Education Code, apply beginning with |
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admissions to a general academic teaching institution for the 2028 |
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fall semester. Admissions to a general academic teaching |
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institution for a term or semester before the 2028 fall semester are |
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governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date |
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of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 5. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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section, this Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of |
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two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by |
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Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not |
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receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes |
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effect September 1, 2025. |
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(b) Sections 51.803(a) and 51.805(a), Education Code, as |
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amended by this Act, take effect September 1, 2027. |