Sec. 56.203. ELIGIBLE PERSON. (a) To be eligible for an award through the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program, a person must:

(1) have graduated from a public high school in this state:

(A) in not more than 41 consecutive months and successfully completed the recommended or advanced high school program established under Section 28.025, if the person graduated on or after September 1, 2005;

(B) in not more than 46 consecutive months, with at least 30 hours of college credit, and successfully completed the recommended or advanced high school program established under Section 28.025, if the person graduated on or after September 1, 2005; or

(C) in not more than 36 consecutive months after successfully completing the requirements for a high school diploma, if the person graduated before September 1, 2005, regardless of whether the person successfully completed the recommended or advanced high school program established under Section 28.025;

(2) have attended one or more public high schools in this state for the majority of time the person attended high school; and

(3) be a citizen of the United States or otherwise lawfully authorized to be present in the United States.

(b) The eligibility for the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program of a person described by Subsection (a)(1)(A) or (B) ends on the sixth anniversary of the date that the person first becomes eligible to participate in the program, unless the person is provided additional time to participate in the program under Subsection (c).

(c) The coordinating board shall adopt rules to provide a person described by Subsection (a)(1)(A) or (B) who is otherwise eligible to participate in the Early High School Graduation Scholarship program additional time to use a state credit for tuition and mandatory fees under the program. The rules must require a person seeking an extension under this subsection to show hardship or other good cause that prevents the person from enrolling in or continuing enrollment in an eligible institution during the period provided by Subsection (b). For purposes of this subsection, hardship or other good cause includes a severe illness or other debilitating condition, responsibility for the care of a sick, injured, or needy person, or active duty or other service in the United States armed forces.

(d) A person who does not satisfy the curriculum requirements for the recommended or advanced high school program as required to establish eligibility under Subsection (a)(1)(A) or (B) is considered to have satisfied those requirements if the high school from which the person graduated indicates on the person's transcript that the person was unable to complete the appropriate curriculum within the time prescribed by that subsection solely because of a reason beyond the person's control, such as lack of enrollment capacity or a shortage of qualified teachers.

(e) The coordinating board shall adopt rules for determining whether a person attended public high school in this state as required by Subsection (a)(2).

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 19, eff. May 30, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 620, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 28, 1995; Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 365, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 19, eff. May 30, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 620, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 28, 1995. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1317, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Reenacted and amended by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1181 (S.B. 1227), Sec. 22, eff. September 1, 2005.

Reenacted and amended by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1266 (H.B. 2109), Sec. 3, eff. June 18, 2005.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1225 (H.B. 2383), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.