Texas Bill Ties College Admissions, Economic Need

High school graduates from needy families and low-performing schools would get special consideration when applying to Texas' selective colleges under a bill passed this month by the state Senate.

Supporters say that the bill is a race-neutral way to "zero out" the impact of a federal appeals court ruling last year that struck down race-based admissions and financial-aid policies in the state's public colleges.

California has a similar ban on racial preferences, and other states are considering such policies. But replacing racial preferences with economic-based preferences would...