HBA-MPM S.B. 158 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 158 By: Truan Public Education 4/12/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, high school students who graduate in the top 10 percent of their class are eligible for automatic admission to any state institution of higher education. However, in its report to the 77th Legislature, the Special Commission on 21st Century Colleges and Universities recommended developing a comprehensive, statewide campaign to inform students and their parents of the benefits of higher education and such educational opportunities as the TEXAS grant program. Senate Bill 158 requires school counselors to provide information to students and their parents regarding the importance of higher education and available financial assistance. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the commissioner of education in SECTION 3 of this bill. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 158 amends the Education Code to require each counselor at an elementary, middle, or junior higher school including an open-enrollment charter school offering those grades to advise students and their parents or guardians (parents) regarding the importance of higher education, coursework designed to prepare students for higher education, and financial aid availability and requirements. The counselor is required to provide information to a student and parents during the student's first year and senior year in high school regarding the importance of higher education, advantages of completing the recommended or advanced high school curriculum, financial aid eligibility, instruction on how to apply for federal financial aid, the Texas Center for Financial Aid Information Center, the automatic admission of students ranked in the top 10 percent of their class to general academic teaching institutions, and the eligibility and academic performance requirements for the TEXAS Grant. The bill requires the commissioner of education to adopt rules regarding the provision of higher education counseling to students other than those for whom the 2001-2002 school year is the first or senior year of high school. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. The Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002 school year.