House Bill 944

TEXAS HIGHER EDUCATION
COORDINATION BOARD
P.O. Box 12788 Austin, Texas 78711

MEMORANDUM
VIA EMAIL

February 10, 2005

To: Presidents and Chancellors of Texas Public Institutions of Higher Education
From: Raymund A. Paredes /Commissioner of Higher Education
Subject: House Bill 944

In 2003, the Texas Legislature during its regular session passed House Bill 944, which was signed into law by Governor Perry. I wanted to remind you of the bill’s requirements. It amended Chapter 51 of the Texas Education Code with a provision that requires institutions of higher education to apply the same undergraduate admissions standards for an applicant who has successfully completed a nontraditional secondary education as a student who graduated from a public high school. It further prohibits institutions of higher education from requiring applicants who have completed a nontraditional secondary education to submit evidence or comply with any other requirements that are generally not required of other applicants for undergraduate admission to the institution. Below, I have provided the specific provisions of the law for your review.

• 51.9241. ADMISSION OF STUDENT WITH NONTRADITIONAL SECONDARY EDUCATION
  In this section:

(1) “Institution of higher education” has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003.

(2) “Nontraditional secondary education” means a course of study at the secondary school level in a non-accredited private school setting, including a home school.

• Because the State of Texas considers successful completion of a nontraditional secondary education to be equivalent to graduation from a public high school, an institution of higher education must treat an applicant from admission to the institution as an undergraduate student who presents evidence that the person has successfully completed a nontraditional secondary education according to the same general standards as other applicants for undergraduate admission who have graduated from a public high school.
• An institution of higher education may not require an applicant for admission to the institution as an undergraduate student who presents evidence that the person has successfully completed a nontraditional secondary education to:

(1) obtain or submit evidence that the person has obtained a general education development certificate, certificate of high school equivalency, or other credentials equivalent to a public high school degree; or

(2) take an examination or comply with any other application or admission requirement not generally applicable to other applicants for undergraduate admission to the institution.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER