A bill that would weaken Texas' controversial Top Ten Percent rule is expected to before the full Senate next week in Austin.
The 20-year-old Top Ten provision promises high school students who graduate near the top of their class automatic admission to any state university. State Sen. Brandon Creighton is among those who believe it’s time for it to go.
“We've got a lot of talented students in Texas that are not being considered because of some of these rigid mandates on the percentages that the universities are using now,” says Creighton.
“There are other personal achievements that could be touted by these student that really could have an impact on the makeup of these incoming classes for each university, along with the academic index.”
With a repeal unlikely, Creighton is pushing a cap automatic enrollees. Its a move that would force many students out of the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, and place them in other state instutitions instead.
“The University of Texas right now has a top ten percent requirement for 70 percent of its incoming class and this bill, if it passed, would change that to 30 percent,” says Creighton.
To help students prepare, Creighton wants the new rule changes to go into effect in four years instead of two.
SB 2119 cleared the Senate Higher Education Committee by a 4-2 vote this week. It still must pass the Senate and House.