Highlights of the 79th Texas Legislature - Senate

EDUCATION/HIGHER
• permit use of an award for tuition or tuition and fees;
• reinstate eligibility for students who graduated before September 1, 2005, and had been eligible for the
awards;
• require students graduating after that date to have completed either the recommended or advanced high
school curriculum (RHSC) in certain time periods;
• provide varying awards based on credits earned and length of high school enrollment;
• limit eligibility to those students who attended Texas high schools;
• require THECB to track the use of the awards; and
• require each high school to notify each freshman student of the Early High School Graduation Scholarship
program and its requirements.
Allows THECB to extend the eligibility of persons on active duty or other service in the United States armed forces for
various benefits.
Modifies the TEXAS grant program for students enrolled in a private or independent IHE by:
• limiting the amount of a TEXAS grant paid to a first-time freshman enrolling for the 2005-2006 academic
year to the average tuition and fees of state IHEs;
• prohibiting a student enrolled from receiving both a TEXAS grant and tuition equalization grant (TEG) in the
same semester;
• providing THECB a process for calculating the statewide average of tuition and fees;
• permitting an IHE to make partial awards;
• requiring an IHE to use revenue other than a loan to make up any difference between the total tuition and
fees and the amount of a TEXAS Grant when an IHE makes a partial grant or as a result of limiting access
to either TEG or TEXAS grant; and
• permitting THECB to develop a process for naming and sponsoring any program or individual grant under
this program.
Revokes TEG eligibility when a student fails to meet program requirements, and allows reinstatement after the
student meets all requirements in a subsequent semester.
Permits THECB to make grants to students demonstrating extreme need not to exceed 150 percent of the usual
amount.
Renames the TEXAS Grant II Program as the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program and defines satisfactory
progress and hardship.
Requires THECB to conduct a biennial study of the total cost of attending each IHE and the resources used to cover
that cost and report in even-numbered years to the legislative committees with higher education jurisdiction.
Requires THECB to develop a comprehensive financial aid training program for counselors, student aid offices,
community-based organizations, and others.
Authorizes the Texas Department of Transportation to issue specialty license plates for THECB to benefit the College
for Texans campaign account.
HIGHLIGHTS - 79 TH TEXAS LEGISLATURE 71