Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1419 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R1403 KSD-D
2	2	By: Creighton S.B. No. 1419
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to eliminating the automatic admission of students to
8	8	certain public institutions of higher education and scholarships
9	9	for certain students who qualify for automatic admission.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. The heading to Section 51.805, Education Code,
12	12	is amended to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 51.805. ELIGIBILITY TO APPLY FOR ADMISSION; FACTORS
14	14	CONSIDERED IN [OTHER] ADMISSIONS.
15	15	SECTION 2. Section 51.805, Education Code, is amended by
16	16	amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (a-1) and
17	17	(a-2) to read as follows:
18	18	(a) A graduating high school student [who does not qualify
19	19	for admission under Section 51.803 or 51.804] may apply to any
20	20	general academic teaching institution if the student:
21	21	(1) successfully completed:
22	22	(A) at a public high school, the curriculum
23	23	requirements established under Section 28.025 for the foundation
24	24	high school program; or
25	25	(B) at a high school to which Section 28.025 does
26	26	not apply, a curriculum that is equivalent in content and rigor to
27	27	the foundation high school program; or
28	28	(2) satisfied ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks on
29	29	the ACT assessment applicable to the applicant or earned on the SAT
30	30	assessment a score of at least 1,500 out of 2,400 or the equivalent.
31	31	(a-1) A student who does not satisfy the curriculum
32	32	requirements prescribed by Subsection (a)(1)(A) or (B) is
33	33	considered to have satisfied those requirements if the student
34	34	completed the portion of the foundation high school program
35	35	curriculum or of the curriculum equivalent in content and rigor, as
36	36	applicable, that was available to the student but was unable to
37	37	complete the remainder of the curriculum solely because courses
38	38	necessary to complete the remainder were unavailable to the student
39	39	at the appropriate times in the student's high school career as a
40	40	result of course scheduling, lack of enrollment capacity, or
41	41	another cause not within the student's control.
42	42	(a-2) For purposes of Subsection (a)(1)(A), a student's
43	43	official transcript or diploma must, not later than the end of the
44	44	student's junior year, indicate:
45	45	(1) whether the student has satisfied or is on
46	46	schedule to satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a)(1)(A) or
47	47	(B), as applicable; or
48	48	(2) if Subsection (a-1) applies to the student,
49	49	whether the student has completed the portion of the foundation
50	50	high school program curriculum or of the curriculum equivalent in
51	51	content and rigor, as applicable, that was available to the
52	52	student.
53	53	(b) [The general academic teaching institution, after
54	54	admitting students under Sections 51.803 and 51.804, shall admit
55	55	other applicants for admission as undergraduate students.] It is
56	56	the intent of the legislature that all institutions of higher
57	57	education pursue academic excellence by considering students'
58	58	academic achievements in decisions related to admissions. Because
59	59	of changing demographic trends, diversity, and population
60	60	increases in the state, each general academic teaching institution
61	61	shall also consider all of, any of, or a combination of the
62	62	following socioeconomic indicators or factors in making first-time
63	63	freshman admissions decisions:
64	64	(1) the applicant's academic record;
65	65	(2) the socioeconomic background of the applicant,
66	66	including the percentage by which the applicant's family is above
67	67	or below any recognized measure of poverty, the applicant's
68	68	household income, and the applicant's parents' level of education;
69	69	(3) whether the applicant would be the first
70	70	generation of the applicant's family to attend or graduate from an
71	71	institution of higher education;
72	72	(4) whether the applicant has bilingual proficiency;
73	73	(5) the financial status of the applicant's school
74	74	district;
75	75	(6) the performance level of the applicant's school as
76	76	determined by the school accountability criteria used by the Texas
77	77	Education Agency;
78	78	(7) the applicant's responsibilities while attending
79	79	school, including whether the applicant has been employed, whether
80	80	the applicant has helped to raise children, or other similar
81	81	factors;
82	82	(8) the applicant's region of residence;
83	83	(9) whether the applicant is a resident of a rural or
84	84	urban area or a resident of a central city or suburban area in the
85	85	state;
86	86	(10) the applicant's performance on standardized
87	87	tests;
88	88	(11) the applicant's performance on standardized tests
89	89	in comparison with that of other students from similar
90	90	socioeconomic backgrounds;
91	91	(12) whether the applicant attended any school while
92	92	the school was under a court-ordered desegregation plan;
93	93	(13) the applicant's involvement in community
94	94	activities;
95	95	(14) the applicant's extracurricular activities;
96	96	(15) the applicant's commitment to a particular field
97	97	of study;
98	98	(16) the applicant's personal interview;
99	99	(17) the applicant's admission to a comparable
100	100	accredited out-of-state institution; and
101	101	(18) any other consideration the institution
102	102	considers necessary to accomplish the institution's stated
103	103	mission.
104	104	SECTION 3. Section 28.026, Education Code, is amended to
105	105	read as follows:
106	106	Sec. 28.026. NOTICE OF REQUIREMENTS FOR [AUTOMATIC COLLEGE
107	107	ADMISSION AND] FINANCIAL AID. (a) The board of trustees of a
108	108	school district and the governing body of each open-enrollment
109	109	charter school that provides a high school shall require each high
110	110	school in the district or provided by the charter school, as
111	111	applicable, to post appropriate signs in each school counselor's
112	112	office, in each principal's office, and in each administrative
113	113	building [indicating the substance of Section 51.803 regarding
114	114	automatic college admission and] stating the curriculum
115	115	requirements for financial aid authorized under Title 3. To assist
116	116	in the dissemination of that information, the district or charter
117	117	school shall:
118	118	(1) require that each school counselor and class
119	119	advisor at a high school be provided a detailed explanation of [the
120	120	substance of Section 51.803 and] the curriculum requirements for
121	121	financial aid authorized under Title 3; and
122	122	(2) provide each district or school student, at the
123	123	time the student first registers for one or more classes required
124	124	for high school graduation, with a written notification, including
125	125	a detailed explanation in plain language, of the [substance of
126	126	Section 51.803, the] curriculum requirements for financial aid
127	127	authorized under Title 3[,] and the benefits of completing the
128	128	requirements for that [automatic admission and] financial aid[;
129	129	[(3) require that each school counselor and senior
130	130	class advisor at a high school explain to eligible students the
131	131	substance of Section 51.803; and
132	132	[(4) not later than the 14th day after the last day of
133	133	classes for the fall semester or an equivalent date in the case of a
134	134	school operated on a year-round system under Section 25.084,
135	135	provide each senior student eligible under Section 51.803 and each
136	136	student enrolled in the junior year of high school who has a grade
137	137	point average in the top 10 percent of the student's high school
138	138	class, and the student's parent or guardian, with a written
139	139	notification of the student's eligibility with a detailed
140	140	explanation in plain language of the substance of Section 51.803].
141	141	(b) The commissioner shall adopt forms, including specific
142	142	language, to use in providing notice under Subsection [Subsections]
143	143	(a)(2) [and (4)]. In providing that notice [under Subsection
144	144	(a)(2) or (4)], a school district or open-enrollment charter school
145	145	shall use the appropriate form adopted by the commissioner. The
146	146	notice [to a student and the student's parent or guardian under
147	147	Subsections (a)(2) and (4)] must be on a single form that contains
148	148	signature lines to indicate receipt of notice by the student and
149	149	[the student's parent or guardian. The notice under Subsection
150	150	(a)(2) must] be signed by the student's counselor in addition to
151	151	being signed by the student [and the student's parent or guardian].
152	152	SECTION 4. Section 29.911(b), Education Code, is amended to
153	153	read as follows:
154	154	(b) During the designated week, each middle school, junior
155	155	high school, and high school shall provide students with
156	156	comprehensive grade-appropriate information regarding the pursuit
157	157	of higher education. The information provided must include
158	158	information regarding:
159	159	(1) higher education options available to students;
160	160	(2) standard admission requirements for institutions
161	161	of higher education, including:
162	162	(A) overall high school grade point average;
163	163	(B) required curriculum;
164	164	(C) college readiness standards and expectations
165	165	as determined under Section 28.008; and
166	166	(D) scores necessary on generally recognized
167	167	tests or assessment instruments used in admissions determinations,
168	168	including the Scholastic Assessment Test and the American College
169	169	Test; and
170	170	(3) [automatic admission of certain students to
171	171	general academic teaching institutions as provided by Section
172	172	51.803; and
173	173	[(4)] financial aid availability and requirements,
174	174	including the financial aid information provided by school
175	175	counselors under Section 33.007(b).
176	176	SECTION 5. Section 33.007(b), Education Code, is amended to
177	177	read as follows:
178	178	(b) During the first school year a student is enrolled in a
179	179	high school or at the high school level in an open-enrollment
180	180	charter school, and again during each year of a student's
181	181	enrollment in high school or at the high school level, a school
182	182	counselor shall provide information about postsecondary education
183	183	to the student and the student's parent or guardian. The
184	184	information must include information regarding:
185	185	(1) the importance of postsecondary education;
186	186	(2) the advantages of earning an endorsement and a
187	187	performance acknowledgment and completing the distinguished level
188	188	of achievement under the foundation high school program under
189	189	Section 28.025;
190	190	(3) the disadvantages of taking courses to prepare for
191	191	a high school equivalency examination relative to the benefits of
192	192	taking courses leading to a high school diploma;
193	193	(4) financial aid eligibility;
194	194	(5) instruction on how to apply for federal financial
195	195	aid;
196	196	(6) the center for financial aid information
197	197	established under Section 61.0776;
198	198	(7) [the automatic admission of certain students to
199	199	general academic teaching institutions as provided by Section
200	200	51.803;
201	201	[(8)] the eligibility and academic performance
202	202	requirements for the TEXAS Grant as provided by Subchapter M,
203	203	Chapter 56; and
204	204	(8) [(9)] the availability of programs in the district
205	205	under which a student may earn college credit, including advanced
206	206	placement programs, dual credit programs, joint high school and
207	207	college credit programs, and international baccalaureate programs.
208	208	SECTION 6. Section 33.009(d), Education Code, is amended to
209	209	read as follows:
210	210	(d) An academy developed under this section must provide
211	211	counselors and other postsecondary advisors with knowledge and
212	212	skills to provide counseling to students regarding postsecondary
213	213	success and productive career planning and must include information
214	214	relating to:
215	215	(1) each endorsement described by Section
216	216	28.025(c-1), including:
217	217	(A) the course requirements for each
218	218	endorsement; and
219	219	(B) the postsecondary educational and career
220	220	opportunities associated with each endorsement;
221	221	(2) available methods for a student to earn credit for
222	222	a course not offered at the school in which the student is enrolled,
223	223	including enrollment in an electronic course provided through the
224	224	state virtual school network under Chapter 30A;
225	225	(3) general academic performance requirements for
226	226	admission to an institution of higher education[, including the
227	227	requirements for automatic admission to a general academic teaching
228	228	institution under Section 51.803];
229	229	(4) regional workforce needs, including information
230	230	about the required education and the average wage or salary for
231	231	careers that meet those workforce needs; and
232	232	(5) effective strategies for engaging students and
233	233	parents in planning for postsecondary education and potential
234	234	careers, including participation in mentorships and business
235	235	partnerships.
236	236	SECTION 7. Section 39.0232(b), Education Code, is amended
237	237	to read as follows:
238	238	(b) A student's performance on an end-of-course assessment
239	239	instrument may not be used:
240	240	(1) in determining the student's class ranking for any
241	241	purpose[, including entitlement to automatic college admission
242	242	under Section 51.803 or 51.804]; or
243	243	(2) as a sole criterion in the determination of
244	244	whether to admit the student to a general academic teaching
245	245	institution in this state.
246	246	SECTION 8. Section 51.4032, Education Code, is amended to
247	247	read as follows:
248	248	Sec. 51.4032. ANNUAL REPORT OF PARTICIPATION IN HIGHER
249	249	EDUCATION. Not later than December 1 of each year and in the form
250	250	prescribed by the coordinating board, each general academic
251	251	teaching institution and medical and dental unit as defined
252	252	in Section 61.003 shall provide to the Texas Higher Education
253	253	Coordinating Board and shall publish on the institution's website a
254	254	report describing the composition of the institution's entering
255	255	class of students. The report must include a demographic breakdown
256	256	of the class, including a breakdown by race, ethnicity, economic
257	257	status, and high school class standing. A report submitted by a
258	258	general academic teaching institution or medical and dental unit as
259	259	defined in Section 61.003 must include [separate demographic
260	260	breakdowns of the students admitted under Sections 51.803, 51.804,
261	261	and 51.805 and] a description of any plans, policies, or programs
262	262	developed or implemented by the institution to recruit and retain
263	263	students from underrepresented groups such as racial or ethnic
264	264	minority groups.
265	265	SECTION 9. Section 51.842(a), Education Code, is amended to
266	266	read as follows:
267	267	(a) A graduate or professional program of a general academic
268	268	teaching institution or medical or dental unit may consider the
269	269	following factors in making an admissions or scholarship decision
270	270	for admissions into or competitive scholarships for the graduate or
271	271	professional program:
272	272	(1) an applicant's academic record as a high school
273	273	student and undergraduate student;
274	274	(2) the socioeconomic background of the applicant
275	275	while the applicant attended elementary and secondary school and
276	276	was an undergraduate student, including any change in that
277	277	background;
278	278	(3) whether the applicant would be the first
279	279	generation of the applicant's family to attend or graduate from an
280	280	undergraduate program or from a graduate or professional program;
281	281	(4) whether the applicant has multilingual
282	282	proficiency;
283	283	(5) the applicant's responsibilities while attending
284	284	elementary and secondary school and as an undergraduate student,
285	285	including whether the applicant was employed, whether the applicant
286	286	helped to raise children, and other similar factors;
287	287	(6) to achieve geographic diversity, the applicant's
288	288	region of residence at the time of application and, if the applicant
289	289	graduated from a public high school in this state within the
290	290	preceding 20 years, the region in which the applicant's school
291	291	district is located;
292	292	(7) the applicant's involvement in community
293	293	activities;
294	294	(8) the applicant's demonstrated commitment to a
295	295	particular field of study;
296	296	(9) for admission into a professional program, the
297	297	current comparative availability of members of that profession in
298	298	the applicant's region of residence while the applicant attended
299	299	elementary and secondary school; and
300	300	(10) [whether the applicant was automatically
301	301	admitted to a general academic teaching institution as an
302	302	undergraduate student under Section 51.803; and
303	303	[(11)] the applicant's personal interview.
304	304	SECTION 10. Section 56.3041(b), Education Code, is amended
305	305	to read as follows:
306	306	(b) For purposes of Subsection (a)(2)(A), a student who
307	307	graduated under the recommended or advanced high school program is
308	308	considered to have successfully completed the curriculum
309	309	requirements for the foundation high school program [of Section
310	310	51.803(a)(2)(A)(i)]. This subsection expires September 1, 2020.
311	311	SECTION 11. The following provisions of the Education Code
312	312	are repealed:
313	313	(1) Sections 33.007(c), 51.803, 51.8035, 51.804, and
314	314	51.8045; and
315	315	(2) Subchapter R, Chapter 56.
316	316	SECTION 12. The changes in law made by this Act to
317	317	Subchapter U, Chapter 51, Education Code, apply beginning with
318	318	admissions to an institution of higher education for the 2018-2019
319	319	academic year. Admissions to an institution of higher education
320	320	for an academic year before that academic year are governed by the
321	321	law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and
322	322	the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
323	323	SECTION 13. The repeal by this Act of Subchapter R, Chapter
324	324	56, Education Code, does not affect a student initially awarded a
325	325	scholarship under that subchapter for a semester or other academic
326	326	term before the effective date of this Act. A student who initially
327	327	receives a scholarship for a semester or other academic term before
328	328	that date may continue to receive a scholarship under Subchapter R,
329	329	Chapter 56, Education Code, as that subchapter existed immediately
330	330	before the effective date of this Act, to the extent funds are
331	331	available for that purpose, as long as the student remains eligible
332	332	for a scholarship under the former law. The Texas Higher Education
333	333	Coordinating Board shall adopt rules to administer this section and
334	334	shall notify each student who receives a scholarship in the
335	335	2017-2018 academic year of the provisions of this section.
336	336	SECTION 14. This Act takes effect January 1, 2018.