Texas institutions of higher education must treat certain applicants with nontraditional secondary education the same as public high school graduates, and they may not impose extra credential or testing requirements just because of that background.
Sec. 51.9241. ADMISSION OF STUDENT WITH NONTRADITIONAL SECONDARY EDUCATION. (a) 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 nonaccredited private school setting, including a home school. (b) 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 for 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, including specific standardized testing score requirements, as other applicants for undergraduate admission who have graduated from a public high school. (c) 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. (d) If an institution of higher education in its undergraduate admission review process sorts applicants by high school graduating class rank, the institution shall assign a class rank to any applicant who presents evidence that the applicant has successfully completed a nontraditional secondary education that does not include a high school graduating class ranking by: (1) calculating for each class rank of other applicants to the institution the median score on each college entrance examination the institution considers in admissions; and (2) assigning to the applicant the highest class rank for which the applicant's score on a college entrance examination the institution considers in admissions is at least equal to the median score for that class rank calculated under Subdivision (1). (e) An institution of higher education to which Subsection (d) applies shall post on the institution's Internet website the median score on each college entrance examination the institution considers in admissions calculated for each class rank under Subsection (d)(1) for the preceding admissions cycle. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 232, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1210 (S.B. 1543), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 430 (H.B. 3041), Sec. 2, eff. June 20, 2025.