Beginning for the 2026-27 school year, Texas has a new high school graduation requirement connected to My Texas Future and the state's Direct Admissions program.
All students enrolled in high school during the 2026-27 school year must satisfy this requirement before graduating.
To meet the new state requirement, a student must do one of the following:
Participate: Establish a profile on My Texas Future and elect to participate in the Direct Admissions program; or
Opt out: Complete the appropriate opt-out process to decline participation in Direct Admissions.
My Texas Future is a free, state-run resource that can help students explore careers, connect education to career goals, create a personal graduation plan and learn more about opportunities available after high school.
For students under 18, a parent or guardian may submit the signed opt-out form. Students who are 18 or older, or who have had the disabilities of minority removed, may sign the form themselves. A school counselor may also authorize an opt-out in writing. Either participating or completing an authorized opt-out satisfies the graduation requirement.
Families will receive additional information from their high school about the process and the documentation needed to show that the requirement has been completed.
What is Direct Admissions?
Students who elect to participate in Direct Admissions can use My Texas Future to identify participating Texas colleges and universities where they may qualify for admission based on their profile and academic information.
As part of the new graduation requirement, students and families are deciding whether to allow the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to share certain self-reported academic information with participating institutions for Direct Admissions. Information may include a student's graduation plan type, class rank, GPA, SAT total score or ACT composite score.
Students and families may create or update their My Texas Future profile annually, and creating a profile does not prevent a family from later opting out of one or more My Texas Future programs.
Explore My Texas Future: mytexasfuture.org
Start planning early for what's possible
While the new graduation requirement applies to high school students, My Texas Future is about much more than completing a graduation requirement. Planning for the future doesn't have to wait until high school.
In Spring Branch ISD (SBISD), our T-2-4 vision for Every Child recognizes that students can take many paths toward a bright future. That's why conversations about college and career should start early.
For middle school families, this is a great time to start asking questions: What interests your child? What are their strengths? What careers would they like to learn more about? What courses and experiences could help them explore those interests?
For high school families, those conversations can become increasingly focused as students make decisions about courses, endorsements, programs, credentials and their plans after graduation.
Talk with your child and your campus counselor
Your child doesn't need to know today exactly what they want to do after graduation. Planning starts with exploring possibilities, asking questions and understanding the options available.
Talk with your child about their interests and what they imagine for their future. Then, connect with your campus counselor to learn more about courses, endorsements, programs, credentials and experiences available in SBISD that can help your child take the next step.
It's never too early to plan for what's next. Together, we can help Every Child explore their options, make informed choices and build a bright future.