(a) To receive an award through the Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program, a student who graduated from high school before September 1, 2005 must:   (1) be a resident of Texas; and   (2) have completed the requirements for a high school diploma in not more than thirty-six consecutive months having completed all years of high school in Texas; and   (3) have a statement on file with the institution of higher education indicating the student is registered with the Selective Service System as required by federal law or is exempt from Selective Service registration under federal law. (b) To receive an award through the Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program, a student who graduated from high school on or after September 1, 2005, but prior to June 15, 2007, must:   (1) be a resident of Texas;   (2) have attended high school exclusively in one or more public high schools in this state;   (3) have successfully completed the Recommended or Distinguished Achievement Program-Advanced High School Program established under Texas Education Code, §28.025, unless the principal or other authorized representative of the student's high school provides a written explanation along with the student's transcript and exemption program application that the courses in the Recommended or Advanced High School Program which the student did not complete were unavailable to the student at the appropriate time in his or her high school career because of:     (A) shortage of qualified teachers;     (B) lack of enrollment capacity; or     (C) another cause not within the person's control, an explanation for which is provided on the transcript by the official;   (4) have graduated:     (A) in not more than 41 consecutive months; or     (B) in not more than 45 consecutive months, if the student graduated with at least 30 hours of college credit; and   (5) have a statement on file with the institution of higher education indicating the student is registered with the Selective Service System as required by federal law or is exempt from Selective Service registration under federal law. (c) To receive an award through the Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program, a student who graduated from high school on or after June 15, 2007, must:   (1) be a citizen of the United States or otherwise lawfully authorized to be present in the United States;   (2) have attended one or more public high schools in Texas for the majority of time the person attended high school;   (3) have successfully completed the Recommended or Distinguished Achievement Program-Advanced High School Program established under Texas Education Code, §28.025, unless the principal or other authorized representative of the student's high school provides a written explanation along with the student's transcript and exemption program application that the courses in the Recommended or Advanced High School Program which the student did not complete were unavailable to the student at the appropriate time in his or her high school career because of:     (A) shortage of qualified teachers;     (B) lack of enrollment capacity; or     (C) another cause not within the person's control, an explanation for which is provided on the transcript by the official;   (4) have graduated from a public high school in Texas:     (A) in not more than 41 consecutive months; or     (B) in not more than 46 consecutive months, if the student graduated with at least 30 hours of college credit; and   (5) have a statement on file with the institution of higher education indicating the student is registered with the Selective Service System as required by federal law or is exempt from Selective Service registration under federal law. (d) A student's eligibility to receive a tuition credit under the Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program begins with the first regular semester or term following the student's graduation, exclusive of summer sessions that immediately follow the student's graduation. A student's eligibility to receive a tuition credit under the program ends six years after it begins, unless the student seeks and is granted an extension under §21.960 of this title (relating to Hardship Extensions). (e) The months to graduation will be measured beginning with the student's first full month in ninth grade through the date the high school certifies as the date the student completes all the requirements for graduation.

Source Note: The provisions of this §21.953 adopted to be effective August 16, 2004, 29 TexReg 7979; amended to be effective November 28, 2005, 30 TexReg 7866; amended to be effective August 15, 2006, 31 TexReg 6335; amended to be effective August 16, 2007, 32 TexReg 4977; amended to be effective November 27, 2007, 32 TexReg 8495; amended to be effective May 21, 2008, 33 TexReg 3941