Relating to the consideration of college entrance examinations for admission to certain public institutions of higher education and a study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding those examinations, the official text

S.B. No. 1241

AN ACT

relating to the consideration of college entrance examinations for

admission to certain public institutions of higher education and a

study by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board regarding

those examinations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 51.803(a), Education Code, is amended 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) achieved a score set by the Texas Higher

Education Coordinating Board on a college entrance examination

designated by coordinating board rule [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.

SECTION 2. Section 51.805(a), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) A graduating student who does not qualify for admission

under Section 51.803 or 51.804 may apply to any general academic

teaching institution if the student:

(1) successfully completed:

(A) at a public high school, the curriculum

requirements established under Section 28.025 for the foundation

high school program; or

(B) at a high school to which Section 28.025 does

not apply, a curriculum that is equivalent in content and rigor to

the foundation high school program; or

(2) achieved a score set by the Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board on a college entrance examination designated by

coordinating board rule [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].

SECTION 3. Subchapter U, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.8031 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.8031. STUDY ON COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION SCORES.

(a) In this section, "coordinating board" means the Texas Higher

Education Coordinating Board.

(b) The coordinating board shall conduct a study on college

entrance examinations to determine which examinations, and the

requisite score for each examination, should be used as a criterion

for admission to a general academic teaching institution.

(c) The study must:

(1) identify each college entrance examination with

sufficient rigor and reliability to be used as a criterion for

admission to a general academic teaching institution; and

(2) determine the score for each examination

identified under Subdivision (1) that demonstrates adequate

performance for purposes of admission to a general academic

teaching institution.

(d) Not later than August 1, 2026, the coordinating board

shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker

of the house of representatives, and the chair of each standing

legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over higher

education a report on the results of the study and any

recommendations for legislative or other action.

(e) This section expires September 1, 2027.

SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections

51.803(a) and 51.805(a), Education Code, apply beginning with

admissions to a general academic teaching institution for the 2028

fall semester. Admissions to a general academic teaching

institution for a term or semester before the 2028 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 5. 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, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1241 passed the Senate on

May 6, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the

Senate concurred in House amendment on May 22, 2025, by the

following vote: Yeas 24, Nays 7.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1241 passed the House, with

amendment, on May 16, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 77,

Nays 44, one present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor