SECTION 89.43. Eligibility for a Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency

(a) An applicant for a certificate of high school equivalency shall meet the following requirements.

(1) Residence. The applicant must be a resident of Texas or a member of the United States armed forces stationed at a Texas installation.

(2) Age.

(A) The applicant must be at least 18 years old.

(B) An applicant who is 17 years of age is eligible with parental or guardian consent. An applicant who is 17 years of age must submit permission of the applicant's parent or guardian according to procedures established by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). An applicant who is 17 years of age and married, who has entered military service, who has been declared an adult by the court, or who has otherwise legally severed the child/parent relationship is not required to present parent or guardian permission to be tested.

(C) An applicant who is at least 16 years of age may test if recommended by a public agency having supervision or custody under a court order. Recommendations must include the applicant's name and date of birth and must be submitted according to procedures established by the TEA by an official of the public agency having supervision or custody of the person under a court order. An applicant who is at least 16 years old may also test if:

(i) required to take the examination under a court order issued under the Texas Family Code, §65.103(a)(3);

(ii) enrolled in a Job Corps training program under the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (29 United States Code, §§2801 et seq.) and its subsequent amendments; or

(iii) enrolled in the Texas Military Department's Texas ChalleNGe Academy program.

(3) Educational status. The applicant must not have received a high school diploma from an accredited high school in the United States. The applicant must not be enrolled in school, unless the applicant is enrolled in a High School Equivalency Program (HSEP) approved by the TEA. A student who is 17 years of age is eligible to test if the student is enrolled in an HSEP approved by the TEA. The student must comply with the provisions of the HSEP.

(4) Minimum test scores. An applicant must achieve the appropriate minimum standard scores in effect at the time the applicant tested as established by the TEA or the designated test organization, as appropriate.

(b) Verification that any person being tested meets the eligibility requirements in this section will be provided according to procedures established by the TEA.

Source Note: The provisions of this §89.43 adopted to be effective September 1, 1996, 21 TexReg 5690; amended to be effective September 1, 1999, 24 TexReg 386; amended to be effective April 18, 2002, 27 TexReg 3061; amended to be effective October 15, 2006, 31 TexReg 8361; amended to be effective December 11, 2011, 36 TexReg 8373; amended to be effective October 10, 2013, 38 TexReg 6914; amended to be effective August 21, 2016, 41 TexReg 6015