Texas House Bill 588, commonly referred to as the "Top 10% Rule", is a Texas law passed in 1997. It was signed into law by then governor George W. Bush on May 20, 1997.
The law guarantees Texas students who graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class automatic admission to all state-funded universities. The bill was created as a means to avoid the stipulations from the Hopwood v. Texas appeals court case banning the use of affirmative action. The Supreme Court ruled in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) that affirmative action in college admissions was permissible, effectively overruling Hopwood. UT Austin then reinstated affirmative action for the seats not filled by the Top Ten Percent law.
The law only guarantees admission into university. Students must still find the means to pay, and may not achieve their desired choice of major. (Another existing law, which preceded 588, provides a full tuition scholarship for the class valedictorian of a Texas high school for their freshman year at a state public school.)
The Texas "Top 10% Plan" is a transition from a race based policy known as affirmative action. Under a policy such as Texas' Top 10% plan, it is believed that student enrollment for minority students specifically would follow a mismatch hypothesis. This hypothesis predicts that the rates of minority students graduation and retention would improve under the newly established plan in opposition to affirmative action. This mismatch theory would be a result of students finding a university that is a better match for them academically, rather than overreaching and becoming overshadowed.[1]
The law has drawn praise and criticism alike. Supporters of the rule argue that it ensures geographic and ethnic diversity in public universities. They also point out that students admitted under the legislation performed better in college than their counterparts.[2] The law has been blamed for keeping students not in the top ten percent but with other credentials, such as high SAT scores or leadership and extracurricular experience, out of the larger "flagship" state universities, such as the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, College Station. UT-Austin has argued for several years that the law has come to account for too many of its entering students, with 81 percent of the 2008 freshmen having enrolled under it.[3]
Some administrators, such as former University of Texas at Austin President Larry Faulkner, have advocated capping the number of top ten percent students for any year at one half of the incoming class. Others[who?] have suggested a move to a top 7 percent law. However, until May 2009 the Texas Legislature had not revised the law in any way since its inception. A 2007 measure (HB78) was introduced during the 80th Regular Session (2007) but never made it out of committee.
Under legislation approved in May 2009 by the Texas House as part of the 81st Regular Session (Senate Bill 175), UT-Austin (but no other state universities) was allowed to trim the number of students it accepts under the 10 percent rule; UT-Austin could limit those students to 75 percent of entering in-state freshmen from Texas. The University would admit the top 1 percent, the top 2 percent and so forth until the cap is reached, beginning with the 2011 entering class. UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and UT-Austin President William Powers Jr. had sought a cap of about 50 percent, but lawmakers (led by Representatives Dan Branch (R-Dallas) and Rep. Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio)) brokered the compromise.
A study in 2011 found that the law created a strategic incentive for students to transfer to a high school with lower-achieving peers, in order to graduate in that school's top decile.[4]
A 2023 study found that the law improved educational and economic outcomes for top students from non-elite high schools while the non-top students at the prestigious high schools did not experience worse educational and economic outcomes.[5]
References
^Cortes, Kalena E. (December 2010). "Do bans on affirmative action hurt minority students? Evidence from the Texas Top 10% Plan". Economics of Education Review. 29 (6): 1110–1124. doi:10.1016/j.econedurev.2010.06.004.
^"'Top 10 percent rule' on session agenda". Archived from the original on 2012-09-10.
^"House moves to scale back top 10 percent rule", Ralph K.M. Haurwitz, Austin American-Statesman, May 26, 2009
^Cullen, Julie Berry; Long, Mark C.; Reback, Randall (2011). "Jockeying for Position: Strategic High School Choice Under Texas' Top Ten Percent Plan". NBER Working Paper 16663. doi:10.3386/w16663.
^Black, Sandra E.; Denning, Jeffrey T.; Rothstein, Jesse (2023). "Winners and Losers? The Effect of Gaining and Losing Access to Selective Colleges on Education and Labor Market Outcomes". American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. 15 (1): 26–67. doi:10.1257/app.20200137. ISSN 1945-7782.
"Texas Legislature Online - History". Texas State Legislature. February 26, 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-25.
. Billhop Legislative Wiki. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2006-11-17.
January 20, 2023
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Texas House Bill 588 commonly referred to as the Top 10 Rule is a Texas law passed in 1997 It was signed into law by then governor George W Bush on May 20 1997 The law guarantees Texas students who graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class automatic admission to all state funded universities The bill was created as a means to avoid the stipulations from the Hopwood v Texas appeals court case banning the use of affirmative action The Supreme Court ruled in Grutter v Bollinger 2003 that affirmative action in college admissions was permissible effectively overruling Hopwood UT Austin then reinstated affirmative action for the seats not filled by the Top Ten Percent law The law only guarantees admission into university Students must still find the means to pay and may not achieve their desired choice of major Another existing law which preceded 588 provides a full tuition scholarship for the class valedictorian of a Texas high school for their freshman year at a state public school The Texas Top 10 Plan is a transition from a race based policy known as affirmative action Under a policy such as Texas Top 10 plan it is believed that student enrollment for minority students specifically would follow a mismatch hypothesis This hypothesis predicts that the rates of minority students graduation and retention would improve under the newly established plan in opposition to affirmative action This mismatch theory would be a result of students finding a university that is a better match for them academically rather than overreaching and becoming overshadowed 1 The law has drawn praise and criticism alike Supporters of the rule argue that it ensures geographic and ethnic diversity in public universities They also point out that students admitted under the legislation performed better in college than their counterparts 2 The law has been blamed for keeping students not in the top ten percent but with other credentials such as high SAT scores or leadership and extracurricular experience out of the larger flagship state universities such as the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A amp M University College Station UT Austin has argued for several years that the law has come to account for too many of its entering students with 81 percent of the 2008 freshmen having enrolled under it 3 Some administrators such as former University of Texas at Austin President Larry Faulkner have advocated capping the number of top ten percent students for any year at one half of the incoming class Others who have suggested a move to a top 7 percent law However until May 2009 the Texas Legislature had not revised the law in any way since its inception A 2007 measure HB78 was introduced during the 80th Regular Session 2007 but never made it out of committee Under legislation approved in May 2009 by the Texas House as part of the 81st Regular Session Senate Bill 175 UT Austin but no other state universities was allowed to trim the number of students it accepts under the 10 percent rule UT Austin could limit those students to 75 percent of entering in state freshmen from Texas The University would admit the top 1 percent the top 2 percent and so forth until the cap is reached beginning with the 2011 entering class UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa and UT Austin President William Powers Jr had sought a cap of about 50 percent but lawmakers led by Representatives Dan Branch R Dallas and Rep Mike Villarreal D San Antonio brokered the compromise A study in 2011 found that the law created a strategic incentive for students to transfer to a high school with lower achieving peers in order to graduate in that school s top decile 4 A 2023 study found that the law improved educational and economic outcomes for top students from non elite high schools while the non top students at the prestigious high schools did not experience worse educational and economic outcomes 5 References Edit Cortes Kalena E December 2010 Do bans on affirmative action hurt minority students Evidence from the Texas Top 10 Plan Economics of Education Review 29 6 1110 1124 doi 10 1016 j econedurev 2010 06 004 Top 10 percent rule on session agenda Archived from the original on 2012 09 10 House moves to scale back top 10 percent rule Ralph K M Haurwitz Austin American Statesman May 26 2009 Cullen Julie Berry Long Mark C Reback Randall 2011 Jockeying for Position Strategic High School Choice Under Texas Top Ten Percent Plan NBER Working Paper 16663 doi 10 3386 w16663 Black Sandra E Denning Jeffrey T Rothstein Jesse 2023 Winners and Losers The Effect of Gaining and Losing Access to Selective Colleges on Education and Labor Market Outcomes American Economic Journal Applied Economics 15 1 26 67 doi 10 1257 app 20200137 ISSN 1945 7782 Lavergne Gary M Cindy Hargett November 18 2003 Perceptions and Opinions of University of Texas Entering Freshmen The Impact of The Texas Top 10 Automatic Admissions Law Admissions Research The University of Texas at Austin Archived from the original on May 14 2011 Retrieved 2006 05 15 Texas Legislature Online History Texas State Legislature February 26 2007 Retrieved 2007 11 25 HB 78 80R Billhop Legislative Wiki Archived from the original on 2011 07 08 Retrieved 2006 11 17 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Texas House Bill 588 amp oldid 1130519882, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
