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SB 2163

Relating to measures to assist students enrolled at public institutions of higher education who are homeless or who are or were in foster care.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Tan Parker

SB 2163 requires Texas public higher education institutions to establish support services for homeless and foster-care-involved students to improve college access and completion.

Referred to Education K-16
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Bill Summary · SB 2163

Legislative bill overview

SB 2163 establishes support measures for students at Texas public universities and colleges who are experiencing homelessness or have current or past involvement with the foster care system. The bill aims to remove barriers these vulnerable student populations face in accessing higher education and completing their degrees through targeted institutional support.

Why is this important

Students experiencing homelessness or transitioning from foster care face significant obstacles to college completion, including unstable housing, food insecurity, and lack of support systems. Approximately 1-3% of college students experience homelessness annually, and former foster youth have substantially lower college enrollment and graduation rates than their peers. Institutional support programs can meaningfully improve retention and degree completion for these populations.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and funding source: Whether the state will provide dedicated funding or if institutions must absorb costs from existing budgets, potentially diverting resources from other programs
  • Implementation scope: Specificity of required services (housing assistance, meal plans, counseling) and whether standards will be uniform across institutions or allow flexibility
  • Definition and verification: How institutions will identify eligible students while protecting privacy and preventing fraud or abuse of support services

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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