88R13034 CXP-F     By: Middleton S.B. No. 1504       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the automatic admission of students with a   nontraditional secondary education to certain public institutions   of higher education.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 51.803, Education Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (m) to read as   follows:          (a)  Subject to Subsection (a-1), each general academic   teaching institution shall admit an applicant for admission to the   institution as an undergraduate student if the applicant graduated   with a grade point average in the top 10 percent of the student's   high school graduating class in one of the two school years   preceding the academic year for which the applicant is applying for   admission and:                (1)  the applicant:                      (A)  graduated from a public or private high   school in this state accredited by a generally recognized   accrediting organization or from a high school operated by the   United States Department of Defense; or                      (B)  completed a nontraditional secondary   education as defined by Section 51.9241;                (2)  the applicant:                      (A)  successfully completed:                            (i)  at a public high school, the curriculum   requirements established under Section 28.025 for the   distinguished level of achievement under the foundation high school   program; or                            (ii)  at a high school to which Section   28.025 does not apply, a curriculum that is equivalent in content   and rigor to the distinguished level of achievement under the   foundation high school program; or                      (B)  satisfied ACT's College Readiness Benchmarks   on the ACT assessment applicable to the applicant or earned on the   SAT assessment a score of at least 1,500 out of 2,400 or the   equivalent; and                (3)  if the applicant graduated from a high school   operated by the United States Department of Defense, the applicant   is a Texas resident under Section 54.052 or is entitled to pay   tuition fees at the rate provided for Texas residents under Section   54.241(d) for the term or semester to which admitted.          (m)  In determining the eligibility for admission under this   section of an applicant with a nontraditional secondary education,   as defined by Section 51.9241, that does not include a high school   graduating class ranking, a general academic teaching institution   shall calculate the applicant's class rank in the manner provided   by Section 51.9241(d).          SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply   beginning with admissions to a public institution of higher   education for the 2024 fall semester. Admissions to a public   institution of higher education for a term or semester before the   2024 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 3.  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, 2023.