Relating to the creation of an electronic platform and submission portal, known as My Texas Future, to facilitate public high school students' awareness of and application to institutions of higher education using the electronic common admission application form.
ModeratePlan for compliance
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) • Texas Education Agency (TEA) • Local School Districts and Open-Enrollment Charter Schools
01
Compliance Analysis
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
Implementation Timeline
Effective Date: September 1, 2025
Compliance Deadlines:
Notification Protocols: Must be active for the 2025-2026 academic year registration cycle.
Graduation Prerequisite: Applies to students graduating in the 2026-2027 academic year (Class of 2027).
Agency Rulemaking:
Immediate Watch: The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) must prescribe the *manner* of annual notifications prior to the 2025-2026 school year.
Secondary Watch: THECB, in consultation with TEA, must adopt the standardized "Opt-In/Opt-Out" election form prior to the 2026-2027 school year. Until these forms are published, districts are in a regulatory holding pattern regarding exact data fields.
Immediate Action Plan
1.Vendor Notification: Contact your SIS provider immediately to schedule updates for the "Direct Admissions" data fields and export capabilities.
2.Policy Update: Draft local policy regarding the "Counselor Override" for student opt-outs to ensure uniformity before the 2026-2027 school year.
3.Registration Overhaul: Revise 2025-2026 registration packets to include the mandatory "My Texas Future" notification and opt-out rights language once THECB releases the text.
4.Website Compliance (HEIs only): Higher Education Institutions must update admissions pages to prominently link to *MyTexasFuture.org* by September 1, 2025.
Operational Changes Required
Contracts
Student Information Systems (SIS): Districts must issue change orders to vendors (e.g., Skyward, PowerSchool, Frontline) immediately. Current systems likely lack the specific fields to capture the "Direct Admissions Opt-In" status required for THECB reporting.
Data Sharing Agreements (DSAs): General Counsels must review existing DSAs with TEA and THECB. Ensure the scope of data transfer for "direct admissions" is clearly defined to prevent inadvertent FERPA violations caused by over-sharing data for students who have opted out.
Hiring/Training
Counseling Staff: Academic counselors require training on the new graduation checklist. They must understand the "Direct Admissions Data Sharing" election is now a mandatory step for graduation, distinct from FAFSA completion.
Registrars: Staff managing registration must be trained to deliver the mandatory annual notification to parents of students with 3+ credits or those finishing 1st semester of 9th grade.
Reporting & Record-Keeping
The Election Form: You must retain the signed "Opt-In/Opt-Out" form as part of the student’s permanent academic record (Category: Graduation Requirements).
Parental Consent Logs: For students under 18 declining participation, you must document parental signature or a written authorization from a school counselor.
Audit Trails: Maintain proof of delivery for the annual parental notification required by Section 61.0511(c) to satisfy potential TEA audits.
Fees & Costs
IT Integration Costs: While the state anticipates costs, the Legislative Budget Board notes "indeterminate costs" for districts. Budget for SIS vendor fees related to custom field creation and API integrations for data export to THECB.
Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations
"As Necessary" Data Scope: The statute requires sharing data "as necessary" for the direct admissions program but does not define the data dictionary. There is a risk THECB may request broad data sets (class rank, GPA, demographics). Districts must wait for THECB rulemaking to define the exact data fields to avoid privacy liability.
Counselor Override Authority: Section 28.0257(c)(3) allows a counselor to authorize a student to decline participation without parental signature. The law provides no criteria for this decision. Districts must develop internal policy guidelines to prevent inconsistent or discriminatory application of this authority across campuses.
Need Help Understanding Implementation?
Our government affairs experts can walk you through this bill's specific impact on your operations.
Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.
My Texas Future�established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board�matches a student's academic information with the admissions requirements of participating Texas colleges. Students can use information such as class rank, GPA, and SAT/ACT test scores to get a personalized list of schools where they could qualify for direct admission. Students can then complete an application in Apply Texas to determine their program/major and receive scholarship and financial aid information from that personalized list. S.B. 2314 allows graduating high schoolers opt-in to the direct admissions program of My Texas Future.
As proposed, S.B. 2314 amends current law relating to the creation of an electronic platform and submission portal, known as My Texas Future, to facilitate the awareness and application of public high school students into institutions of higher education using the electronic common admission application form.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 4 (Section 61.0511, Education Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 28.025(c), Education Code, as follows:
(c) Provides that a student, in cases other than if the person is eligible for a diploma under Section 28.0251 (High School Diploma for Certain Veterans), is authorized to graduate and receive a diploma only if the student successfully completes the curriculum requirements identified by the State Board of Education under Subsection (a) (relating to authorizing a school district to issue a high school diploma to certain persons) and complies with certain sections of the Education Code, including Section 28.0257, or the student successfully completes an individualized education program developed under Section 29.005 (Individualized Education Program).
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 28, Education Code, by adding Section 28.0257, as follows:
Sec. 28.0257. DIRECT ADMISSIONS DATA SHARING OPT-IN ELECTION FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. (a) Defines "coordinating board" and "institution of higher education."
(b) Requires each student, except as provided by Subsection (c), before graduating from high school, to elect whether to opt-in to allowing the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to share the student's data and education records, as necessary, with institutions of higher education to allow the student to participate in the direct admissions program established by THECB pursuant to Education Code 61.0511(b)(2).
(c) Provides that a student is not required to comply with Subsection (b) if certain conditions are met.
(d) Requires each school district or open-enrollment charter school to use a form adopted by THECB, in consultation with the Texas Education Agency (TEA), to allow a student to opt-out pursuant to subsection (c). Requires that the form:
(1) provide the student or the student's parent or other person standing in parental relation, as applicable, the opportunity to elect whether to share the student's data or education records, as necessary, with institutions of higher education to facilitate the student's participation in a program offered under Subsection (b); and
(2) be made available in English, Spanish, and any other language spoken by a majority of the students enrolled in a bilingual education or special language program under Subchapter B (Bilingual Education and Special Language Programs), Chapter 29 (Educational Programs), in the district or school.
SECTION 3. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 51, Education Code, by adding Subsection 51.763(d), as follows:
(d) Requires each institution of higher education to publish prominently on its admission application website a link to MyTexasFuture.Org or its successor electronic platform and provide notice to students that they are authorized to apply to the institution using the electronic common admission application form found in ApplyTexas.Org or via MyTexasFuture.Org.
SECTION 4. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, by adding Section 61.0511, as follows:
Sec. 61.0511. Direct Admissions and Financial Aid Portal at MyTexasFuture.Org. (a) Requires THECB to create, maintain, and administer an electronic platform and submission portal, known as My Texas Future (MyTexasFuture.Org), to facilitate the awareness and application of students into institutions of higher education.
(b) Requires that My Texas Future, or any successor electronic platform established pursuant to this section, include certain information.
(c) Requires a Texas school district or an open-enrollment charter school, as part of the high school registration process, to annually notify, in a manner prescribed by THECB rule, each parent or guardian of a student who has earned at least three high school course credits or not later than the end of a student's first semester of ninth grade of certain information.
(d) Requires TEA and THECB to jointly prepare and post on their respective Internet websites a publication that includes the information required to be provided under Subsection (c) in a form that enables a school district or open-enrollment charter school to reproduce the publication for distribution under that subsection.
(e) Requires TEA and each Texas public school district or open-enrollment charter school to make the data available to THECB necessary to administer this section.
(f) Authorizes THECB to adopt rules necessary to implement this section.
(g) Authorizes THECB to share a student's contact information in MyTexasFuture.Org with an institution of higher education unless the student opts-out of sharing the student's contact information. Provides that any student information shared with an institution of higher education is confidential pursuant to Subsection (l). Requires THECB to ensure that a student is authorized to opt-out of sharing the student's contact information with an institution of higher education.
(l) Provides that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, except as provided by this section, information that relates to a current, former, or prospective applicant or student of an educational institution and that is obtained, received, or held by THECB for the purpose of administering this section or otherwise providing assistance with access to postsecondary education is confidential and excepted from disclosure under Chapter 552 (Public Information), Government Code, and is authorized only to be released in conformity with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). Authorizes THECB to withhold information prohibited from being disclosed under this subsection without requesting a decision from the attorney general under Subchapter G (Attorney General Decisions), Chapter 552, Government Code.
SECTION 5. Provides that Section 61.0511, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2025�2026 academic year.
SECTION 6. Provides that Subsections 28.025 and 28.0257, Education Code, as added by this Act, apply beginning with the 2026�2027 academic year.
SECTION 7. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.
Honorable Brandon Creighton, Chair, Senate Committee on Education K-16
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB2314 by Creighton (Relating to the creation of an electronic platform and submission portal, known as My Texas Future, to facilitate the awareness and application of public high school students into institutions of higher education using the electronic common admission application form.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB2314, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($5,520,520) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2026
($3,432,760)
2027
($2,087,760)
2028
($2,087,760)
2029
($2,087,760)
2030
($2,087,760)
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2025
2026
($3,432,760)
4.0
2027
($2,087,760)
4.0
2028
($2,087,760)
4.0
2029
($2,087,760)
4.0
2030
($2,087,760)
4.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would require the Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to create, maintain, and administer an electronic platform and submission portal, known as My Texas Future, to facilitate the awareness and application of students into institutions of higher education. The bill would require each high school student prior to graduation to elect whether to opt-in to allowing the THECB to share the student's data and education records with institutions of higher education to allow the student to participate in the direct admissions program portal.
Methodology
It is assumed that any costs associated with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) providing data to THECB could be absorbed within TEA's existing resources.
The Higher Education Coordinating Board indicates that there would be one-time costs in fiscal year 2026 and recurring costs to implement the bill. For purposes of this analysis, it is assumed that the THECB will continue to use self-reported data and any costs to integrate with TEA or school districts' data are not considered.
The one-time costs include $625,000 related to application development for user experience enhancements and development of field validations to ensure and improve functionality for all students. Additional one-time technology costs total $700,000 and include funding for user management, security, cloud-based tool to handle traffic, and load testing to ensure application security and functionality for the increased number of students visiting the platform.
Beginning in fiscal 2026, the THECB estimates $1,650,000 in ongoing infrastructure costs for the platform tied to an increase in monthly billing through the data center from $75,000 to $212,500 per month due to the increased usage. The agency would also hire 4.0 FTEs to increase outreach for their ApplyTexas Help Desk at a cost of $457,760 in fiscal year 2026 and $437,760 for subsequent fiscal years.
Local Government Impact
School districts would be required to make data available to THECB necessary to administer the bill's provisions for which there may be indeterminate costs to the districts.
Source Agencies:
701 Texas Education Agency, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 717 Texas Southern University, 719 Texas State Technical College System Administration, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 758 Texas State University System, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration, 769 University of North Texas System Administration, 781 Higher Education Coordinating Board, 783 University of Houston System Administration, 966 Howard College, 978 San Jacinto College
LBB Staff:
JMc, FV, LBO, GO, NV
Related Legislation
Explore more bills from this author and on related topics
SB2314 establishes a mandatory data-sharing pipeline for direct college admissions, creating a new statutory graduation requirement for Texas public high school students beginning with the Class of 2027. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools must bifurcate compliance: implementing mandatory parent notifications by the 2025-2026 academic year and enforcing the signed data-sharing election form as a prerequisite for graduation by the 2026-2027 academic year. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025 Compliance Deadlines: - Notification Protocols: Must be active for the 2025-2026 academic year registration cycle.
Q
Who authored SB2314?
SB2314 was authored by Texas Senator Charles Creighton during the Regular Session.
Q
When was SB2314 signed into law?
SB2314 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 19, 2025.
Q
Which agencies enforce SB2314?
SB2314 is enforced by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Local School Districts and Open-Enrollment Charter Schools.
Q
How urgent is compliance with SB2314?
The compliance urgency for SB2314 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.
Q
What is the cost impact of SB2314?
The cost impact of SB2314 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
Q
What topics does SB2314 address?
SB2314 addresses topics including education, education--higher, education--higher--admission & attendance, education--higher--general and education--primary & secondary.
Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025
Need Strategic Guidance on This Bill?
Need help with Government Relations, Lobbying, or compliance? JD Key Consulting has the expertise you're looking for.
