Texas poised to fund community colleges based on student outcomes

[RandySF]

Texas community college advocates are cheering after the Senate unanimously approved a House bill Friday to fund the state’s community colleges based on how many of their students graduate with a degree or certificate or transfer to a four-year university. Currently, schools are largely funded based on the number of hours students spend in a classroom.

While the Senate version included some changes, bill sponsor Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, told The Texas Tribune the House is likely to accept them and send the legislation to the governor, rather than kick it to a conference committee for lawmakers to discuss the differences between the two versions.

VanDeaver served on a commission of lawmakers and community college presidents last year that recommended the changes, along with a long list of ways the state could better support the more than 642,000 students who attend Texas’ 50 community college districts.

The Senate added language from seven smaller higher education bills to the legislation, nearly all of which have already passed out of one or both chambers. These include legislation to provide new grant funds for students and workforce development, legislation to ease the student transfer process between two- and four-year schools, and one bill dealing with student privacy.



https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/19/texas-community-college-finance-senate/

[scarletlib]

1. Colleges aren't stupid.

Grades will be inflated, tests will be manipulated to achieve desired results.

[jimfields33]

2. Sadly right.

Although, colleges need to accept all credits from community college if classes are passed. It’s insane to make students take classes over again so colleges can even make students in debt more.

[dalton99a]

3. +1. Exams will be watered down

or perhaps students will be prescreened before they attempt certain classes

[SYFROYH]

4. This is very hard to pull off...especially at 2-year colleges

Two-year colleges are usually point of entry institutions that have no or very low admission requirements. This is a good thing because it allows everyone to start higher education at an affordable price.

The sad truth is that many either don't have cognitive, financial, or time resources to complete certificates or Associate degrees.

Institutions like this can improve their numbers by denying entry to the marginally qualified.





low

[harumph]

6. Depends on the Community College

Dallas County for example, has an excellent system of several campuses that offer a wide range
of specialties - and on the whole, the teaching staff is great. Many kids are opting for this route
to take their first two years of core classes and then transferring to a 4 year. Recently,
scholastically serious HS juniors have been transferring directly into the Dallas College system
and taking college credit courses (not AP mind you - but the real deal). They end up
with a HS Diploma + an Associate Degree at the same time they would merely have graduated HS.

Edited to add: mind you, these are challenging courses with serious students. Not all
community colleges are at the same level - depending largely from the area high schools they are
pulling from.

[JCMach1]

5. So schools in underserved communities will get the shaft

...same as it ever was