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The Senate Committee on Higher Education met on April 25 to hear invited and public testimony related to the 60x30TX Statewide Plan.

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics the committee took up. This report is not a verbatim transcript of the hearing; it is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.

60×30 TX Statewide Plan Review: Examine progress in achieving goals within the 60x30TX plan, and review efforts of higher education institutions to implement innovative and non-traditional models of education delivery to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student body. Consider whether current state policies and regulations may support or hinder institutions’ ability to innovate in educational delivery and access. Make recommendations to accelerate innovation in higher education, to better serve students through expanded access to high quality educational opportunities, improve quality in educational delivery, and achieve goals outlined in the 60x30TX higher education strategic plan.

 

Demetrio Hernandez, LBB

  • Gave presentation
  • Goal of 60x30TX Plan is to have 550,000 students complete a certificate or degree from institution of higher education by 2030
  • Under current conditions there will have 3.9% annual growth rate
    • To reach goal will have to have 4% growth rate
    • Difference of 30,000 completions
  • Factors: graduation rates, enrollment growth, affordability, etc.
  • Formula funding implications: Community and Junior Colleges (JUCO) I&O are funded less than General Academic Institutions (GAI), in FY 2017 GAI I&O GR was $2,740, JUCO I&O GR was $1,877
  • Student debt goal: not to exceed 60%
    • three groups that directly influence college affordability: students, two-and four-year institutions and state government
  • Discussed Texas Grant Program and eligibility of the program and reviewed 2018-2019 grant appropriations
    • During the 2016-17 biennium, 88 percent of eligible students received a TEXAS Grant
  • Reviewed Higher Education Coordinating Board assumptions for Texas Grant projections
  • West – did you break down the numbers by completion of ethnic groups?
    • Did not, used aggregate completion rate
  • Seliger – appropriation for the 18-19 biennium in $787 million?
    • Correct

 

Raymund Paredes, Higher Education Coordinating Board of Texas – Commissioner  

  • Created strategic planning committee to create plan to close the education gaps
    • Determined a plan was needed with more ambitious goals – led to creation of 60x30TX Plan
    • The overarching goal is by 2030 to have 60% of 25-34 Texans to have completed a degree
    • Completion goal: 550,000 students completing certificate
    • Marketable skills: xx
    • Student Debt: not to have debt that exceeds 60% of first year wages
  • Texas is ranked 27th in the world
  • Discussed demographic attainment gaps
    • Hispanic and African American students trail Caucasian and Asian students
    • Challenges
  • Significant increase in completion rates in two-year institutions
  • Discussed demographic trends in Texas
    • Texas has a young population
    • By 2050 – Latino workers will outnumber Caucasian workers 3 to 1
  • Reviewed student debt information
    • 71% of students have debt that exceed 60% of first year income
    • 28% of certificate recipients have debt
    • Efficacy in graduation times will be important to lowering student debt
  • Adopted a regional strategy to achieve 60x30TX Plan
  • Currently on track but have a long way to go
  • West – we have target groups, what have you come up with to address demographic disparities?
    • Advise Texas is working and needs to get better for economically disadvantaged students but needs to provide more councilors
    • Project male’s programs located at multiple institutions has been very successful
    • Have been working on block scheduling and at home programs to help with those who work in addition to going to school
  • West – discussed continual issues with lower number of Latino and African American males competing certificate and degree programs
  • Seliger – what things would you implement or change tomorrow?
    • Dramatically increase availability of counseling
    • Create financial aid programs for low income families
    • Need to work with community-based organizations
  • West – want a plan in two weeks to address Latino and African American male’s attainment, want specific plans and action items from the three education commissioners
  • Bettencourt – discussed that current percentage increases would lead to 2030 metrics for attainment, and males are already above the average and would lead to successful completion of 20X30. Would like to see female subdivisions in the numbers provided. Mentioned getting those with 60 hours back into school?
    • There are more innovative tools now that should make it easier to get adult students to complete a certificate or degree program
  • Bettencourt – would like more information regarding the affordable baccalaureate program?
    • The program had origins in roughly 2013
    • Found that a baccalaureate degree could be delivered for roughly $15,000
    • Offered at 2 institutions and 5 others are currently working on those types of programs
    • Goal is to get to 12 institutions within 2 years
    • Discussed with other education commissioners within the state to better align the systems
  • Bettencourt – discussed the many positive aspects of the education system in Texas, stressed that all demographic groups need to be considered and focused on in the vertical integration of the education systems
  • West – in terms of debt, how does our goal compare to other states?
    • Believes the community college level is better than most in the country
  • Seliger – there are two things, counseling and the costs of education, should be priorities of the legislature?
    • Correct, but should also consider completion rates as a priority for the legislature
    • Also need to find alternative models for Texas Grant program in terms, like paid internships, expanding work -study, etc.
    • Current model of Texas Grant is unsustainable
  • Seliger – there appears to be a gap with career endeavors that do not have a certification, is the coordinating board prepared to create or secure certifications?
    • Completely in favor of supporting career and technical endeavors that lead directly into real employment and job opportunities
  • Taylor – emphasizes that it is possible and needed to complete 60x30TX through many new innovations in both higher education and public education
  • West – requested information regarding other states investments in promise programs
    • Will provide that information
    • Historically Texas has always focused on needy kids as recipients of financial assistance
    • Need to create additional supporting programs in terms of information

 

Mike Morath, Texas Education Agency – Commissioner

  • Have been working to align K-12 goals with 60x30TX Plan
  • Challenge in to significantly increase numbers of students prepared to achieve credentials
  • TEA has adopted a strategic plan
    • Connecting/reengineering high school to be better aligned with higher education
    • Transparency of accountability system
  • Accountability system is tiered system which is aligned to 60x30TX Plan
    • Accountability metrics are benchmarked around 60x30TX goals
    • Two bench marks: STAAR Test, and basket of indicators for college/career readiness
  • Career readiness: have identified 73 credentials that indicate career readiness
    • Have created readiness assessment for military as well
  • Discussed readiness success levels by grade levels
  • Reviewed reading scores in proficiency in third grade a metric of readiness
  • Math proficiency has shown increases
  • Discussed demographic proficiencies
  • In terms of college readiness: each student group (race and class) has shown progress individually
  • Strategic plan intends to connect high school and colleges
    • Grant programs expanded to include p-tech
    • Programs like this need to be replicated at a far more rapid rate
  • Seliger – is there a professional or operational standard to meet with students at the same rates as military liaisons to introduce students to the idea of college?
    • Yes, but not yet sufficient for the scale that is needed
    • Working to build out college and career advisors to include others in addition to councilors
  • West – in terms of P-tech, have we seen positive results?
    • We are beyond theory, and have seen significant success with those programs
  • West – have they made significant results with African American and Hispanic males?
    • Yes, but the programs are not yet widely offered in communities with high percentages of African American males
  • West – how widely spread are p-tech programs?
    • The highest providers are in Dallas
    • Described p-tech programs to the committee
  • West – as it relates to a policy and funding standpoint, would you recommend expanding P-TECH programs to serve those populations that we have discussed?
    • Yes, and implementing that through a stable funding mechanism like formula funding will expand those programs a t a much faster rate
    • We should be supporting mechanisms to replicate successful programs or methods
  • West – asks after Harlem Education Program in terms of alignment and attainment as a fully integrated program to get students from pre-k to college completion.
    • They have but need policy and funding behind the program to make it successful
  • Taylor – discussed reading NAPE scores, many times Texas is below national levels, what do you attribute that to?
    • Math is a building block scale
    • Reading is a skill that requires proficiency in phonics from a young age and early grades
    • Nature of curriculum has to be a rich knowledge-based curriculum that is rigorous: reading comprehension, vocabulary and context must be at a very high level to improve reading levels
  • Taylor – do we need to do something to improve that?
    • Appropriations have been made to address that in a variety of ways, but it will take time to fully implement those changes
  • Bettencourt – we hope what gets measured gets fixed, do we have an algebra 2 measurement?
    • No, but there is an optional algebra 2 end of course exam
    • Because the sample size is so small it is not indicative of the system
    • The SAT and ACT is a decent proxy for that algebra 2 indicator
  • Bettencourt – discussing sub economic status, you point is that the mixture of percentage of poor students over time has increased; this is the fundamental thing you are facing?
    • That is correct, the fundamental changes are to continually raise the performance of the low economic students
  • Bettencourt – need improve action in entire process, seeing beginning of markers to indicate there will be better performance if we stay the course on integrating entire delivery system
    • We have adopted strategic plan entirely as an agency, will have to do for some time
  • West – all of this is great narrative, Sen. Bettencourt as long as Morath is Commissioner is head of TEA then we know where we are going but when we change players we end up going into a different direction, so question is how to institutionalize things that need to be done regardless
    • Bettencourt – thinks pattern is one of innovation and trying to vertically integrate system
  • West – how to make sure strategy now will be in place, will be corner stone of what needs to be done regardless of who is sitting at the tables
    • Bettencourt – agreed
  • Morath – complexity of problem is mind boggling, laser like focus on helping teachers and teacher profession and policy framework on ability to recruit, support and retain teachers and principals
  • Explained more details on goals to recruit, train/support, and retain teachers which includes compensation and framework for working conditions – working in partnership in higher education

 

Andres Alcantar, Texas Workforce Commission – Chair of the Public

  • Occupations are evolving and impacted by investments employers are making
  • Between 2014-2024 state is projected to add over 2 million jobs and anticipate strong growth in some sectors
  • Proud supporter of 60×30 Texas, when look at marketable skills goal it makes sure graduate have skills in the marketplace
  • Students from certain economic backgrounds don’t always have mentoring, guidance and support
  • Have partnered with local boards to educate students on sectors in job fairs, partnered up with community colleges and university for a summer experience, build in competency-based approaches with colleges & universities, etc.
  • West – asked about method of finance for a program, is it federal dollars
    • Internship is federal dollars
    • There are now early academies for paid internship, must be industry aligned
    • Morath further discusses method of finance which include PTECH
  • West – asked where students are coming from? Regarding population, is there any priority? Minimum age?
    • They have a community college partner
    • Student selected is based on local grantee
    • Mostly 16 years of age but it varies
  • Bettencourt – asked about the PTECH program – is there a way to find additional employers?
    • Would agree, will get back to committee on details on locations for these programs
    • Bettencourt – hopes DISD is listening after last night’s vote
  • Talks about Lancaster ISD and Texas Instruments as partners targeting at risk population, evolving story with what he expects a really nice result
    • West – can look at scores and doing good job with industry partner
  • West – internships help and are important
    • Supported robotics teams for number of years and need to create as a state a way to celebrate these students and provide for them a way to be celebrated
    • Have 661 tech team, over 100 robotic varsity teams, important part is that they are being mentored by industry
    • These students will no doubt innovate and transform industry, gave example of San Antonio students holding camp in Laredo

 

Jennifer Saenz, The University of Texas at Austin – McCombs School of Business

  • Discussed Onramps: led by UT Austin and supported by legislature to increase post-secondary attainment goals outlined in 60x30TX Plan
  • Bridges gap between high school and college
    • Dual enrollment program: more about the experience, have 2 professors as opposed to dual credit, awarded two grades, etc.
    • Focuses on professional growth of teachers as well as students, worked with over 350 teachers across the state, each gaining over 80 hours of professional development
  • Working with 73 districts
  • Collaborative with other colleges and universities
  • Allows for discussions between school, teachers and college faculty to create and learn from each other
  • College board selected Onramps as 1 of 3 exemplary programs helping students transition from high school to college
  • Seliger – how much time do students sped on the university campus?
    • It is a distance learning course
    • All taken on the high school campuses

 

Paul Goebel, University of North Texas – Student Money Management Center

  • Began in 2005 to elevate student financial management and understanding of financial literacy
  • Consists of: Financial readiness program, financial wellness program, and financial support program
  • Center had 15,000 contacts with students and over 25,000 contacts with parents and families last year
  • Received nation recognition for efforts in innovation
  • More than 250 community colleges and other institutions have reached out to the university for information regarding the center
  • Developed specific initiatives to address 60x30TX goals of student debt
    • Reached out to high schools to give information
    • Working with students
    • Reaching out to alumni
  • Seliger – what impact has the program had on student debt levels over the last 5 years?
    • Will provide that information

 

Paula Myrick Short, University of Houston

  • Has two programs to address 60x30TX: UH in 4 and Houston GPS
  • UH in 4 is about graduation timeline in 4 years at University of Houston
    • Began in 2014
    • A high impact initiative that sets expectation and employs tools for students to graduate in 4 years
    • Students are required to complete 30 credit hours each year
    • University in responsible for updating degree plans that allow for 4-year completion as well as 4-year fixed tuition plans and providing support for those items
    • Outcomes: seen significant increase in student in the program (71% of freshmen signed up), 75% of African American freshmen are signed up in the program, all students are 10% points higher than the prior three-year average in credit hours completed, 4-year graduation rates have increased compared to prior years
  • Houston GPS is a region partnership program between institutions and sectors to help students to graduate faster
    • Supported by MOU signed by each institution in the partnership
    • Each GPS student partnership has adopted strategies: providing remedial support, making relevant math courses required for major, creating META majors that are related allowing a student to take courses that are applicable for multiple majors and creating a roadmap to graduation
    • 11 institutions are partnered
  • West – regarding UH in 4, what are the sizes of cohorts?
    • About half of freshmen, or about 2,500 students in the first year
    • This year was about 5,000 students
  • West – requested breakdown by ethnicities
  • West – in terms of GPS program, glad to see that the region is pulling together to make it easier for students to have a pathway to a degree
    • Will be fully implemented in fall of 2018
  • Buckingham – have heard funding method disincentivizes institutions from graduating quickly
    • Can find information regarding that

 

Karen Murray, Tarleton State University – Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

  • Intern to learn program: develops marketable skills and allows for students to earn a wage while in school
  • Graduation rates and retention rates have increased
  • Have reduced time to completion by over 1 semester
  • Employs students both off and on campus
    • Common positions: event management, accounting interns, teaching interns
    • Required to submit reflection on experience
  • Through program students learn work ethic and behavior
  • Began as pilot in 2013 with 29 students, now have over 250 students in program
  • All work-study students are able to join the program
  • Outcomes: completing at 29% higher rate, employers relay that the students have high work ethic and leaderships skills
  • Seliger – do you track prost graduate employment salary levels?
    • Do not between those who are in the program vs not

 

Steve Johnson, Western Governor’s University Texas – Chancellor

  • Have students in 222 counties across the state
  • Described WGU nationally and in Texas
  • Flexibility and affordability allows a solution for many students
  • Graduated more that 8,500 students
  • Average student age is 37 years old
  • Goal to bolster underserved populations completion rates
  • Emphasis on graduating teachers and nurses
  • Working with industry to create pathways to employment
  • Mastery based programs as opposed to set course hours
  • Courses are created with input from industry to ensure career skills
  • Since 2013 average borrowing per student per year has decreased by 40%
    • Loan default rates continues to trend downward
    • Working with coordinating board to employ similar models at other institutions
  • Bettencourt – what is the estimate of those with uncompleted degrees?
    • About 3.8 million people have some college but no degree
  • Taylor – are you limited by the number of potential students or have a backlog?
    • No, continue to grow year after year
    • Over 60% of students come by referral
  • Buckingham – believe that your minority numbers are higher than the state average, are you under gainful employments requirements?
    • No

 

Valerie Jones, Odessa College – Vice President of Instruction

  • Supports 60x30TX through dual credit courses and as feeders to 4-year universities
  • Texas community colleges have been recognized across the nation as high quality and innovate institutions
  • 5-year enrollment growth of 28.7%
  • Depend on flexibility from the coordinating board and legislature to continue to innovate
  • Retention is the biggest challenge, but Odessa College retain nearly 90%
    • Transition to 8-week terms has led to significant positive outcomes
  • 3-year graduation rates improved 20% but have grown to 42% for those since 8-week terms
    • Part time has high completion rate than full time students
  • Need financial support to reach underserved populations
  • Digital materials have helps keep costs low
  • Incentives for graduation had an impact with student engagement
  • Seliger – Do students generally take just one class to sample the free or do they take several?
    • The vast majority take two and then continue on
    • Seliger – What can you tell us about the graduation rate of those students who had the first class free?
    • It’s offered for every single student, so the graduation rates are all students who have had a free class
  • Seliger – When it’s a free class do students take an 8 week or 16-week course?
    • 80% of classes are 8-week courses so most students take those
  • Bettencourt – Do you have a number on students who take 8-week versus 16-week class success?
    • Does not have an exact number, but majority of students take 8-week courses and are less likely to drop that course and continue to the next semester
  • West – How long are the 8-week courses in terms of time commitment each day?
    • Depends on the professor and the day of the week of the course

 

Lonnie Howard, President, Lamar Institute of Technology – President

  • Early college high school (earning college credit through high school classroom activity) makes a difference for students
  • LIT’s early college high school partnership has grown 365% over the past year
  • LIT offers 31 associate degrees and 26 certificates and has over a 90% job placement rate
  • The average salary expectation is $48,400 for an associate degree at LIT
  • Early college high school identifies when students can enroll (9-12th grade) and who can enroll (disadvantaged students), their industrial clusters they observe determine what courses the student will take
  • They’re expecting enrollment to double this fall
  • When achieving 60X30, these courses provide the best opportunities for students
  • Seliger – Can you elaborate on enrollment growth and degrees given over the last 5 years?
    • Degrees given have grown and enrollment among African American students has increased by 16.9%
    • Enrollment had been declining but now it’s growing

 

Dr. Mary Hensley, Blinn College District – Chancellor

  • Currently enroll approximately 19,000 students and most come from all over Texas, not just the service area
  • The TX A&M Blinn TEAM program allows students to attend A&M and Blinn at the same time to transition those students over to A&M full time
    • They average around 635 students a year who complete this program
    • Students who take 15 credit hours in one semester save on average $1500
  • TX A&M Engineering Academy at the Blinn & Brian campuses consist of students who are co-enrolled at Blinn & A&M
  • TX A&M Engineering Academy expanded program takes place at their Brenham campus and allows students to earn engineering credits in a smaller setting
  • The RELLIS Campus will allow students to learn cutting-edge high demand skills and will open in August
  • Seliger – With students in the Blinn TEAM, what do they pay for the A&M courses
    • They pay regular tuition for the A&M courses and a lower tuition for their Blinn courses
  • West – Do you have any idea of what the student debt load is?
    • Does not have that number at the time, will provide that information
  • Bettencourt – What’s your current total student enrollment?
    • 19,000 students and that number has been about the same the last three years
    • 1,000 students enrolled in the Blinn TEAM program
    • 100 students enrolled in the engineering academy – Brenham
    • 400 students enrolled in the engineering academy at Blinn – Bryan but will be expanding to 500

 

Joe May, Dallas Community College – Chancellor

  • They’ve seen a declining number of high school graduates in Dallas that go on to enroll in higher education
  • They have a Navigators program that allows students to attend different campuses/schools at one time
  • 82% of their students they work with are economically disadvantaged and they work to meet their hunger needs with local food pantries and mental health needs with behavioral health screenings
  • They’ve established a 60X30 goal and want to increase their graduate number by 50,000
  • They now have 32 P-TECH and B-TECH high schools, where they require these schools to have college readiness, an 8th grade college prep program, and advisors to the students located in the high schools
  • The Dallas County Community College Foundation has established a goal to raise $58 million by 2020 to help students with tuition funding
  • The Dallas Promise program allows students to take classes for free if they meet certain requirements and make certain commitments
  • The Parents Promise program provides and opportunity to educate parents too
  • The average Dallas high school they work with only produce 11% of graduates that receive a college degree
  • Bettencourt – Believes these types of programs are what we need for urban areas
  • West – Is the promise of the P-TECH program sustainable?
    • Comfortable with the program right now, but some areas may be at risk in the future
  • West – What areas are those?
    • Making sure DISD schools really do continue to put those resources up front for the program to continue
  • West – What will the success rate look like 5 years from now?
    • One success story is with Samuel High School which is now the 3rd highest school whose students receive a secondary degree
  • West – What’s that impact on the state of TX?
    • $120 million into the economy because of the jobs these students will getting over their lifetime
    • The impact is one that’s changing the economic and education dynamic for a large part of TX
  • West – This type of program needs to be institutionalized across the state
  • Bettencourt – So this program is changing the productivity curve, right?
    • Yes, and they estimate it being $120 million into TX not counting these students’ savings or other factors
    • We’re also graduating them debt-free, so they will be able to buy homes, cars, etc.

 

Public Testimony

Beaman Floyd, Texas Community College Teachers Association

  • Stressed importance of vertical alignment and flexibility to innovate
  • Engaged with higher education coordinating board and with members working on best practices
  • The faculty are the natural stewards of curriculum rigor
  • Committed to describing items 60x30TX that are not realistic such as “63 attempted hours”

 

Fatima Menendez, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)

  • Supports Educational Aid Exemption Program for improved college completion rate and manageable debt
  • Urges committee to increase funding for Educational Aid Exemption Program
  • Has awarded 250,000 scholarships through the program
  • Program has seen success in many areas across the country
  • Has led to high teacher retention rates for those who graduate
  • Current appropriation is not enough for the program