Relating to measures to support the enrollment of students with a nontraditional secondary education at public institutions of higher education, including eligibility for certain student financial assistance programs.

89(R) SB 1716 - Introduced version - Bill Text

89R10280 RDR-F

By: Middleton

S.B. No. 1716

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to measures to support the enrollment of students with a

nontraditional secondary education at public institutions of

higher education, including eligibility for certain student

financial assistance programs.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 51.9241, Education Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to read as

follows:

(d) If an institution of higher education in its

undergraduate admission review process sorts applicants by high

school graduating class rank, the institution shall
assign a class

rank to
[
place
] any applicant who presents evidence that the

applicant has successfully completed a nontraditional secondary

education that does not include a high school graduating class

ranking
by:

(1)

calculating for each class rank of other

applicants to the institution the median score on each college

entrance examination the institution considers in admissions; and

(2)

assigning to the applicant the highest class rank

for which the applicant's score on a college entrance examination

the institution considers in admissions is at least equal to the

median score for that class rank calculated under Subdivision (1)

[
at the average high school graduating class rank of undergraduate

applicants to the institution who have equivalent standardized

testing scores as the applicant
].

(e)

An institution of higher education to which Subsection

(d) applies shall post on the institution's Internet website the

median score on each college entrance examination the institution

considers in admissions calculated for each class rank under

Subsection (d)(1) for the preceding admissions cycle.

SECTION 2. Section 56.013, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 56.013. INFORMATION REGARDING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

FUNDED FROM DESIGNATED TUITION. The Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board shall
post on the coordinating board's Internet

website and
disseminate to each public or accredited private high

school in this state information regarding the financial assistance

available under this subchapter and shall include information

designed to educate high school students and the parents of those

students on available opportunities and required preparation with

respect to institutions of higher education. The coordinating

board shall recommend a method of delivery of the information to

parents and students under this section.

SECTION 3. Section 56.304(a), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person who

graduated from high school before May 1, 2013, must:

(1) be a resident of this state as determined by

coordinating board rules;

(2) meet either of the following academic

requirements:

(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited

private high school
, or a graduate who presents evidence of

successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education, as

defined by Section 51.9241,
in this state who graduated not earlier

than the 1998-1999 school year and who completed the recommended or

advanced high school curriculum established under Section 28.002 or

28.025 or its equivalent; or

(B) have received an associate degree from a

public or private institution of higher education not earlier than

May 1, 2001;

(3) meet financial need requirements as defined by the

coordinating board;

(4) be enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at

an eligible institution;

(5) be enrolled as:

(A) an entering undergraduate student for at

least three-fourths of a full course load for an entering

undergraduate student, as determined by the coordinating board, not

later than the 16th month after the date of the person's graduation

from high school; or

(B) an entering student for at least

three-fourths of a full course load for an undergraduate student as

determined by the coordinating board, not later than the 12th month

after the month the person receives an associate degree from a

public or private institution of higher education;

(6) have applied for any available financial aid or

assistance; and

(7) comply with any additional nonacademic

requirement adopted by the coordinating board under this

subchapter.

SECTION 4. Section 56.3041(a), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) To be eligible initially for a TEXAS grant, a person

graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2013, and enrolling

in an eligible institution must:

(1) be a resident of this state as determined by

coordinating board rules;

(2) meet the academic requirements prescribed by

Paragraph (A), (B), (C), or (D) as follows:

(A) be a graduate of a public or accredited

private high school
, or a graduate who presents evidence of

successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education, as

defined by Section 51.9241,
in this state who completed the

foundation high school program established under Section 28.025 or

its equivalent and have accomplished any two or more of the

following:

(i) successful completion of the course

requirements of the international baccalaureate diploma program or

earning of the equivalent of at least 12 semester credit hours of

college credit in high school through courses described in Sections

28.009(a)(1), (2), and (3);

(ii) satisfaction of the Texas Success

Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the

coordinating board under Section 51.334 on any assessment

instrument designated by the coordinating board under that section

or qualification for an exemption as described by Section

51.338(b), (c), or (d);

(iii) graduation in the top one-third of

the person's high school graduating class or graduation from high

school with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a four-point

scale or the equivalent; or

(iv) completion for high school credit of

at least one advanced mathematics course following the successful

completion of an Algebra II course or at least one advanced career

and technical or technology applications course;

(B) have received an associate degree from a

public or private institution of higher education;

(C) be an undergraduate student who has:

(i) previously attended another

institution of higher education;

(ii) received an initial Texas Educational

Opportunity Grant under Subchapter P for the 2014 fall semester or a

subsequent academic term;

(iii) completed at least 24 semester credit

hours at any institution or institutions of higher education; and

(iv) earned an overall grade point average

of at least 2.5 on a four-point scale or the equivalent on all

course work previously attempted; or

(D) if sufficient money is available, meet the

eligibility criteria described by Section 56.304(a)(2)(A);

(3) meet financial need requirements established by

the coordinating board;

(4) be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or

certificate program at an eligible institution;

(5) except as provided under rules adopted under

Section 56.304(h), be enrolled as:

(A) an entering undergraduate student for at

least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the

coordinating board, not later than the 16th month after the

calendar month in which the person graduated from high school;

(B) an entering undergraduate student who

entered military service not later than the first anniversary of

the date the person graduated from high school and who enrolled for

at least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the

coordinating board, at the eligible institution not later than 12

months after being honorably discharged from military service;

(C) a continuing undergraduate student for at

least three-fourths of a full course load, as determined by the

coordinating board, not later than the 12th month after the

calendar month in which the person received an associate degree

from a public or private institution of higher education; or

(D) an undergraduate student described by

Subdivision (2)(C) who has never previously received a TEXAS grant;

(6) have applied for any available financial aid or

assistance; and

(7) comply with any additional nonacademic

requirements adopted by the coordinating board under this

subchapter.

SECTION 5. Sections 56.308(a) and (d), Education Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) The coordinating board shall
post on the coordinating

board's Internet website and
distribute to each eligible

institution and to each school district a copy of the rules adopted

under this subchapter.

(d) In addition to the eligibility requirements of Section

56.304, a person who graduated from an accredited private high

school
or who presents evidence of successful completion of a

nontraditional secondary education, as defined by Section 51.9241,

is eligible to receive a grant under this subchapter only if the

student's official transcript or diploma includes the information

required as provided by Subsections (b)(2)(A) and (c).

SECTION 6. Section 56.484, Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 56.484. INITIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP.
(a)
To

be eligible for a scholarship under this subchapter, a student

must:

(1) have graduated from a public or accredited private

high school
, or be a graduate who presents evidence of successful

completion of a nontraditional secondary education, as defined by

Section 51.9241,
in this state while ranked in the top 10 percent or

as the valedictorian of the student's graduating class, subject to

Section 56.487(b);

(2) have completed the recommended or advanced high

school curriculum established under Section 28.025 or its

equivalent;

(3) have applied for admission as a first-time

freshman student for the 2010-2011 academic year or a subsequent

academic year to an institution of higher education that has

elected to offer admissions for that academic year to applicants as

provided by Section 51.803(a-1);

(4) enroll as a first-time freshman student in an

institution of higher education not later than the 16th month after

the date of the student's high school graduation;

(5) have been awarded a TEXAS grant under Subchapter M

for the same semester or other academic term for which the

scholarship will be awarded;

(6) be a Texas resident under Section 54.052; and

(7) comply with any other eligibility requirements

established by coordinating board rule.

(b)

For purposes of Subsection (a)(1), the class rank of a

student who presents evidence of successful completion of a

nontraditional secondary education shall be calculated in the

manner provided by Section 51.9241(d)(1).

SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act to Section

51.9241, Education Code, apply beginning with admissions to a

public institution of higher education for the 2026 fall semester.

Admissions to a public institution of higher education for a term or

semester before the 2026 fall semester are governed by the law in

effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the

former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 8. The changes in law made by this Act to Chapter

56, Education Code, apply beginning with student financial

assistance awarded by a public institution of higher education for

the 2026 fall semester. Student financial assistance awarded by a

public institution of higher education for a term or semester

before the 2026 fall semester is governed by the law in effect

immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former

law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 9. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.