BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 2788 89R17501 AND-F By: Menndez Education K-16 4/9/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Currently, students seeking automatic eligibility for dual credit courses under the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative must meet certain benchmarks on a college readiness test such as the ACT or SAT tests, among others. Most students want to participate in dual credit classes as early as possible in high school, but do not take the SAT or ACT tests until the spring of their junior year. Many of these students take the PSAT test during their sophomore year, making it a more reasonable test to use for the purpose of dual credit admission. Our community colleges have advocated to address this omission through rulemaking by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, but that effort has been unsuccessful. Taking a look at PSAT eligibility for dual credit is a compelling policy decision. The Texas Education Agency asserts many benefits regarding access to dual credit courses, including gaining firsthand experience of college in high school, facilitating a more smooth transition to and a faster completion of a post-secondary degree. Just as outstanding students can access college early through special programs, our public schools should be able to uplift students who are ready and eager to learn. The combination of dual credit offering cost savings on tuition and time reduction to completion makes access to higher education and socioeconomic mobility accessible to more Texans, putting our state in a position to better reach our stated goal of having 60 percent of adults with some form of post-secondary degree by 2030. S.B. 2788 would add the PSAT test to the list of tests with which a student may qualify for automatic exemption from the requirements under the Texas Success Initiative when applying to a dual credit program. As proposed, S.B. 2788 amends current law relating to an exemption from the assessment requirements of the Texas Success Initiative for students who achieve certain scores on the PSAT. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 51.338(b), Education Code, to provide that a student who has achieved a score set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on the PSAT, SAT, or ACT is exempt from the requirements of Subchapter F-1 (Texas Success Initiative). SECTION 2. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies beginning with the assessment of entering undergraduate students at public institutions of higher education for the 2026 fall semester. Provides that the assessment of an entering undergraduate student for an academic term before that semester is governed by the law in effect before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2788
89R17501 AND-F By: Menndez
Education K-16
4/9/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 2788
89R17501 AND-F
By: Menndez
Education K-16
4/9/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, students seeking automatic eligibility for dual credit courses under the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative must meet certain benchmarks on a college readiness test such as the ACT or SAT tests, among others.
Most students want to participate in dual credit classes as early as possible in high school, but do not take the SAT or ACT tests until the spring of their junior year. Many of these students take the PSAT test during their sophomore year, making it a more reasonable test to use for the purpose of dual credit admission. Our community colleges have advocated to address this omission through rulemaking by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, but that effort has been unsuccessful.
Taking a look at PSAT eligibility for dual credit is a compelling policy decision. The Texas Education Agency asserts many benefits regarding access to dual credit courses, including gaining firsthand experience of college in high school, facilitating a more smooth transition to and a faster completion of a post-secondary degree. Just as outstanding students can access college early through special programs, our public schools should be able to uplift students who are ready and eager to learn. The combination of dual credit offering cost savings on tuition and time reduction to completion makes access to higher education and socioeconomic mobility accessible to more Texans, putting our state in a position to better reach our stated goal of having 60 percent of adults with some form of post-secondary degree by 2030.
S.B. 2788 would add the PSAT test to the list of tests with which a student may qualify for automatic exemption from the requirements under the Texas Success Initiative when applying to a dual credit program.
As proposed, S.B. 2788 amends current law relating to an exemption from the assessment requirements of the Texas Success Initiative for students who achieve certain scores on the PSAT.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 51.338(b), Education Code, to provide that a student who has achieved a score set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board on the PSAT, SAT, or ACT is exempt from the requirements of Subchapter F-1 (Texas Success Initiative).
SECTION 2. Provides that the change in law made by this Act applies beginning with the assessment of entering undergraduate students at public institutions of higher education for the 2026 fall semester. Provides that the assessment of an entering undergraduate student for an academic term before that semester is governed by the law in effect before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.