The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopts, on an emergency basis, new §§4.51 - 4.60, regarding implementation of the Texas Success Initiative. The new sections are simultaneously being proposed for permanent adoption in this issue of the Texas Register.

Specifically, these new sections are being adopted on an emergency basis under the provisions of Senate Bill 286 of the 78th Texas Legislature, authorizing the Board to implement changes to its rules by Fall semester 2003. Senate Bill 286 repealed Texas Education Code, §§52.306 and 51.3061, concerning the Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP), and enacted new §52.3062, establishing the Success Initiative. These new sections set out the purpose, authority, and applicable definitions for the Texas Success Initiative. New §4.54 provides proposed exemptions and/or exceptions to the requirements of these rules and §§4.55, 4.56, and 4.57 establish the requirements of assessment by approved assessment instruments with minimum passing standards. Institutions are required to advise and determine a plan for academic success for each student under new §4.58 and determine a student's readiness to perform freshman-level academic coursework under §4.59. The evaluation and reporting requirements are set out in §4.60.

The new sections are adopted on an emergency basis pursuant to §2001.034 of the Government Code, which allows a state agency to adopt an emergency rule if a requirement of state or federal law requires adoption of the rule on less than 30 days notice.