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.