SB1716 - 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.

  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 transc [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]