Texas’ community colleges should be funded based on how many students graduate or transfer to four-year universities, according to a proposal outlined to...
A commission focused on community college finance — which includes college officials, business leaders and lawmakers — spent the past year exploring how to bolster and sustain the state’s funding for such schools.Texas’ community colleges should be funded based on how many students graduate or transfer to four-year universities, according to a proposal outlined to lawmakers on Monday.
“This new model would allow the colleges to focus on improving their own outcomes, rather than competing with other colleges for limited funding,” Woody Hunt, the commission’s chairman and an El Paso businessman, said at a Monday meeting. The commission also recommended a state-funded guaranteed yield for colleges with low taxable valuations or those unable to generate sufficient local funding.
It “will further encourage community colleges to invest in programs to meet growing workforce demands across the state,” Collin College spokesperson Marisela Cadena-Smith said in an email. Low-income students have historically been less likely to participate in and complete postsecondary credentials, a challenge further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as many delayed or decided against enrolling in college.
“Ultimately, every additional dollar Texas invests in our community colleges can translate into greater opportunities across the state,” the draft concludes.