The bill adds the PSAT to the list of tests that can exempt a student from the Texas Success Initiative college-readiness testing rules, alongside the SAT and ACT. It touches students entering Texas public colleges and universities who hit a score the state higher education board sets on the PSAT. Starting with students entering in fall 2026, a qualifying PSAT score lets a student skip the state readiness assessment for five years after taking the test.
Labels
Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 24, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the Higher Education committee.
relating to an exemption from the assessment requirements of the
Texas Success Initiative for students who achieve certain scores on
the PSAT.
WHAT IT DOES
The PSAT joins the SAT and ACT.
The bill adds the PSAT to the list of tests that can exempt a student from the Texas Success Initiative college-readiness testing rules, alongside the SAT and ACT. It touches students entering Texas public colleges and universities who hit a score the state higher education board sets on the PSAT. Starting with students entering in fall 2026, a qualifying PSAT score lets a student skip the state readiness assessment for five years after taking the test.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Menéndez moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2788 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Menéndez moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2788 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Higher Education · Final status: Died in committee
Senate committee · Education K-16 · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee
Subjects
Education--Higher--Admission & Attendance
Education--Junior College Districts
Education--Primary & Secondary--Curriculum
Text
The text as introduced · 190 words
89R17501 AND-F
By: Menéndez
S.B. No. 2788
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an exemption from the assessment requirements of the
Texas Success Initiative for students who achieve certain scores on
the PSAT.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 51.338(b), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) A student who has achieved a score set by the board on
the PSAT, SAT , or ACT is exempt from the requirements of this
subchapter. An exemption under this subsection is effective for
the five-year period following the date a student takes the test and
achieves the standard set by the board.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies
beginning with the assessment of entering undergraduate students at
public institutions of higher education for the 2026 fall semester.
The assessment of an entering undergraduate student for an academic
term before that semester is governed by the law in effect before
the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect
for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring