Lawmakers Urge To Change Community Colleges’ Founding

According to the Fort Bend Herald, Community College leaders will submit a letter to the Texas legislature where they urged changes in the founding and finance management of these institutions. 

“We need a funding model for our 50 community college districts that is bold, strategic and fully aligned with our emerging workforce needs,” said Woody Hunt, a member of the Texas Commission on Community College Finance. The commission, created last year by the state’s legislature, point out three aspects that need to be addressed: 

1. Reward community colleges for positive student outcomes
2. Increase affordability and financial aid
3. Increase capacity at colleges to meet changing workforce needs

Under the state’s current system for funding community colleges, most revenue comes from tuition and property taxes levied by the college district. The state also contributes some funding. Hunt says the commission’s priority is to make community colleges more affordable by giving financial aid, credits but especially by creating work-based educational opportunities such as internships.