HBA-BSM C.S.H.B. 286 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 286
By: King, Phil
Higher Education
4/17/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the admissions standards applied by some institutions of higher
education to unaccredited private school and home school applicants differ
from those used with accredited private and public school applicants.  For
example, at The University of Texas at Austin, applicants from unaccredited
private or home schools are required to show proficiency in three
Scholastic Aptitude Test-II (SAT) subject areas, provide a copy of GED
results if available, and submit with the application a written statement
of education goals.  At the University of Houston, if a public school
student and an unaccredited private school student both rank in the top
quarter of their class and each score an 1100 on the SAT, the public school
student is considered for admission while the private school student must
score 80 points higher on the SAT to ensure consideration.  

The number of  Texas children in private and home schools  is growing
rapidly.  Texas is home to many well qualified applicants from unaccredited
schools, but many universities make additional demands beyond what is
expected from the applicants with an accredited private or public school
education background. C.S.H.B. 286 provides that institutions of higher
education must evaluate students that have completed a nontraditional
secondary education program in accordance with the same general standards
as other applicants for undergraduate admission. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 286 amends the Education Code to provide that an institution of
higher education must  treat applicants who present evidence of having
received a nontraditional secondary education fairly and according to the
same general standards as applicants who have received a traditional
secondary education.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 286 differs from the original by removing the provision that
prohibits an institution of higher education  from requiring an applicant
who  has submitted evidence showing completion of a  nontraditional
secondary education to obtain or  submit evidence that the applicant has
obtained credentials equal to a high school degree, or to take an
examination or comply with any other application or admission requirement
not generally applicable to other applicants for undergraduate admission to
the institution.